South of Nowhere
by Nicole Lo
Summary: Jacob left Forks to get away from his heartbreak. He wanted a world free of vampires and what he got was Mystic Falls ...where vampires are abundant, witches exist with a budding war is on its way... and a reason to forget Bella ever existed. *Twilight*
1. Prologue

South of Nowhere

By: Nicole Lopez

Summary: The Vampire Diaries world meets Twilight when Jacob Black makes a run for the east coast in search for a normal life with no vampires. He comes upon Mystic Falls and finds himself immersed in another vampire war. (Takes place after Bella is no longer a human being and after the last episode of the Vampire Diaries when Elena sees the photograph of Katherine).

* * *

**Epilogue**

I knew what was going to happen before it did. I knew that thing, that _monster _would be the end of her. The very essence of her, her humanness, her clumsiness, her inability to protect herself … it was all a huge part of why I loved her. I never thought that at sixteen years old, I'd be in love this deeply, but I was.

I would have done anything for her, I'd even contemplated ways to make myself more like Edward in hopes that she would come to her senses once she realized that we were meant to be. She belonged with me. Why couldn't she see that, or one better … why couldn't _I _see that loving her as much as I did, didn't guarantee that she would love me back?

Strike one was when he came back and she rushed to be with him. Strike two when she kissed me so passionately and then cruelly took it away because it would hurt her precious _Edward _and strike three … well, that was obviously the wedding which drove me over the edge and into temporary confinement.

As I started to leave the house, a variety of things rushed through my mind. Bella was dead. The monster was here and Rosalie … ugh. The thought of having to looking at Bella's murderer made me cringe. I opted for one of the house windows instead and ran as fast as my human legs could take me before the aggression in me broke out and I was back in wolf form.

As I roamed through the woods with no place to go, I could hear Leah and Seth inside my head.

_Where are we going Master? _Leah wondered, with a hint of sarcasm and playfulness in her voice. I could see a look of triumph in her face or maybe it was a confidence that she didn't have before. And it bothered me to see her so … momentarily casual about the Sam situation.

_We're not going anywhere, but … _I stopped to think. I knew that the events of earlier were replaying through my mind and that both Leah and Seth would know.

_I'm really sorry Jake._ Seth lamented.

_So you're just planning on running away?_

_I'm not running away … it's not too late for you and Seth to go back to Sam. _

_I'm never going back. _Leah jumped in front of me and her action caught me completely off guard even though we could hear each other's thoughts. I was much more concerned with my own problems.

_Back off_. I sneered as pounced on me and the two of us commenced in a mini fight where I struggled to get away, but Leah wouldn't let up. She was way too fast for me. After the scuffle continued for a few seconds too long, I started to get really aggressive.

_Don't fight_. Seth howled.

_Go away Seth. Let me talk some sense into him. _Her little brother stopped meddling and watched from the sidelines for a while before turning back into his human form.

_Go join him. _I demanded in between snarls.

_No … I know how much you're hurting Jake. I'm eternally bonded to Sam, but you're lucky. _

_How so? _We both stopped fighting, but she still had me pinned to the ground.

_The girl that you obsessed about so much is dead. Gone. You can move on. _I shook my head as Leah let up a little. I had to get away from her before she said something else that made sense. She had a way of talking me into doing things and I didn't want to be rational. I couldn't see Bella as a vampire. _You can be with anyone you want to. The Cullens will be leaving soon and then you can forget her. _

_Forget her? _Even as an immortal, to forget Bella was impossible. I felt as though she had imprinted _me_. And it wasn't due to any super human tactics, but with her raw, vulnerable humanness, her hurt that drew me in. The fact that she wasn't like the other girls I'd been used to growing up with.

Leah howled. _She's a bloodsucker now._

Unfortunately, Leah was right. Even if I went back, I wouldn't be able to stand the smell of her, much less her whitened appearance and her blood lust … And to think of Edward's condescending, emotionless face made me cringe. Yes. Running would be the right thing to do. But this time I wasn't going north. I was going east.

_East? _Leah's voice echoed after me as I started to run off. She followed until I stopped suddenly. As your alpha, _I order you to stay here. Don't follow me. _

Quickly, I changed back to human form and she followed suit, gazing at me with her stern, bitter and yet … sad face. Her eyes seemed to be pleading with me with an openness that Leah kept guarded. I didn't ask her about it and I ignored the fact that we were both standing in front of each other naked and took off running.

"Are you coming back?" She yelled as I picked up speed without answering out loud. Secretly, I added 'no,' but she couldn't hear that part.

* * *

My escape wasn't well-planned or thought out, but that was just the way I seemed to do things. Some called it childish or reckless, but when I had the urge to get away, I had to. I had to before I did something that was essentially suicidal, plan a one-man attack against the entire Cullen clan.

At this moment, running wild in the woods with nothing but the skin on my back, I felt a twinge of cowardice run over me. It pissed me off, but I had to stay calm. I didn't want to turn back into a wolf again. I kept vacillating between my wolf and human form and I would get there quicker if I'd have just ignored my human half.

But sometimes I actually missed the feeling of bare human feet on the moist ground. And then there was the fact that I had no idea where I was going. I wanted to just keep going and going until I found the answers but the grumbling of my stomach had a mind all its own and I was forced to stop, oblige and become the wolfman.

With no remorse, I came upon a small deer which was more than enough for just me. With my snout being covered and gorged in blood and guts, I paused to think about Leah and Seth for the first time.

I was their leader and I had abandoned them. Seth was my friend and Leah was … excess baggage. The scene of that day passed through my mind again like a kaleidoscope and it stopped when I thought about how wrong I had been to Leah.

She'd stood up for me by yelling at Bella and when I had the chance to return the favor by bringing my new clan with me, I'd forced her to stay. Abandonment. Damn. I was no better than Sam.

As soon as I ate my fill, and then some, I forced myself to remain human at all costs. This only lasted until I felt those hunger pains again.

Whenever I passed into wolf form, I felt the true, authentic feeling of loneliness, but I trudged on. On and on until… until I started realizing the change in temperature. I noticed it in the most subtle way, through the t-shirts and sandals that people had wearing around me for a while. 

I kept going for a few more miles, passing into the next town. By now, it was dark and very early in the morning, the time of the day that I liked best. It was my domain. I felt invincible in the dark. I was almost there, almost there. I could smell the food, but at the same time I could smell something else.

I could hear it getting closer and closer to me. Venison, my new favorite meal. Although I was dying for some cooked meat, it would be a lot easier and faster just to chase the animal down one last time. I suddenly grew still, ripping off the latest outfit that I had gotten from one of those Good Will places.

Looking as rugged and rustic as I did, they didn't even ask me about my background or where I came from. They had silently handed me the clothes and I had held onto them for about two weeks now. That was my record so far. I shook my head, to force myself to get out of my head. It was time to hunt.

Sprinting as fast as I could, I moved to the side of the poor animal, but it quickly hopped out of place. Normally I wasn't so sloppy and got them on the first try but this time … I just needed to concentrate more. The deer sensed that I wasn't done with the chase and ran out into the road as I simultaneously sunk my teeth into its throat and managed to feel the impact of a car on my other side.

With a fresh chunk of meat in my mouth, I swallowed it whole realizing too belatedly that I was not alone. My nose felt that intense burning like a mixture of acid and peroxide were entering my nose. Instantly, I knew who it was. Vampire.

Suddenly, I became alert, searching for the culprit and finding him only when I saw her in the car. Her delicate brown hair was splashed all over the steering wheel, but that was nothing compared to the amount of blood that was oozing from her temple. _Save her_.

I had to save her and kill this bloodsucker once and for all.

* * *

(A/N: Comment. Review. I've already written more, just getting a feel as to how much time I should invest in the story. --NL)


	2. Demystified

**Chapter Two: Demystified**

* * *

Bonnie Bennet hopped out of her car urgently. Tonight was the night of her dad's office gathering, which meant that she was being sent out to do errands for the event that she wasn't even going to be attending. It was as though both her parents were pushing her into the most logical, boring, sadistic career path there was. Law.

It wasn't that she had a real aversion to law itself. In theory being able to set up guidelines that people followed that kept society functioning was genius, but … when people started finding loopholes and the bad guys manipulated the land of the lawso much that it worked _against _the good of 'the people,' it was just another necessary evil.

And Bonnie was just not in the mood to be pushed into a law career just because she came from a long line of lawyers, her great-great grandfather being the first African-American to practice law in all of Virginia.

She shook her head angrily at the thought of having to carry on a tradition she felt half-heartedly about. And then there was the fact that starting next week, she'd have first quarter finals and these little head games her parents liked to play were starting to interfere.

But who was she kidding? These were just excuses for the fact that there was a more pressing concern on her mind. Well, _two_. One, she worried about the Emily situation and if she would ever have power like that and be possessed by a ghost again and two … she worried about Elena.

Telling Bonnie about Stefan and Damian being vampires was something that Elena needed to do, definitely, but it put Bonnie on edge. She was constantly worried about what was going to happen next and if she would be able to protect the ones she loved from being hurt.

It had gotten to the point where if Elena didn't call, like she hadn't today, about _anything_ Bonnie would freak out. And today, feeling generous and overwhelmed and all, Bonnie was going to give Elena two more hours before she went out on a man hunt.

As Bonnie neared the entrance of the gas station, she peered to her left to see Elena's younger brother Jeremy sitting on one of the benches out front. "Jer!"

"Hey Bonnie." He looked up from the book he was holding. _Weird_. _Since when did Jeremy read? _

"Hi. I know I'm probably being OCD about this, but … is Elena alright? Did she come back home last night or--"

"She's fine."

"So, you've seen her today then?" Bonnie breathed a sigh of relief.

"Not exactly. You know if you want to drop by the house and see that she's there, be my guest." He offered, closing the book shut.

"Actually, I think I might just do that. Give me a second." Bonnie rushed into the gas station, smiled at Russell who worked the cash register and placed a few items on the counter, including a couple of bags of ice.

"Anotha reception?"

"Sort of. And my parents think I have nothing better to do than become their personal assistants."

He gave her the change, said something to make her smile, and added, "Will you do me uh fevor?"

"Not the trash _again_." Bonnie complained, fake rolling her eyes, but she took the bag from behind the counter and headed towards the front door. "You owe me for this one."

"Okey. Next tyme I give you half price."

"Thanks." Bonnie smiled back. Half price on overpriced ice was still overpriced. She handed the items to Jeremy for safe keeping, rounded the corner and then stopped, observing the scene in front of her in awe. A bulky, muscular guy who was obviously dirty and probably homeless was digging through the garbage, trying to find something to eat.

Bonnie took a few steps closer until she could see that he had a ton of snacks from Russell's store in his back pockets.

Everything inside of her was telling her to be scared, to run off, to call the cops but this could be her chance. She'd always wanted to help someone like … this man, but she had never had the chance. Mystic Falls officials had chased all of the beggars and other indigents out of town because they were 'scaring off tourists.'

Now was her chance to help him, take him out of his situation. Bonnie took a few more steps towards him, but hesitated once he turned to look at her and she could clearly see the bright brown eyes that seemed hidden along his face of fur. Even she was astute enough to know that eyes that wide and impressionable couldn't possibly have come from a grown man. No. He was younger … about her age even.

* * *

Jacob stood, stunned that he had allowed himself to be caught. He was supposed to be a werewolf, meaning that he could hear people approaching him from miles away, yet once again he'd managed to mess up.

At least this time, he wasn't facing another leech in human form. Jacob started to just ignore the girl, hoping that she'd go away, but she just kept walking closer and closer to her at a slow, irregular pace. He rested his hands on the top of the dumpster and looked at her.

She looked determined, fierce and was easy on the eyes, but no Bella, he reminded himself. Suddenly, he felt embarrassed to be caught doing the things that he was doing and being seen by someone. Jacob could only imagine what he looked like or what he _smelled _like to this girl yet … she didn't stop her advances.

"May I?" She tossed a trash bag into the dumpster, still eyeing him. By now they were face to face and Jacob was struggling to face her, a far cry from his usual overly-confident self.

"Do you work here?"

"No, but I know the owner and … stealing is a crime."

"If I had the money, then I'd pay." Jacob shot back, preparing for a retreat.

"No worries. I'll pay for you." Bonnie handed him some money out of her pocket, from the change Russell had given her earlier. "Just place it on the counter and he'll--"

"Are you really handing me money?" Jacob asked in disbelief as she nodded, her dark hair moving with her.

"Yes. If you do this, I won't rat on you and I'll take you for a real meal."

"Like what?" He wondered, enticed by the invitation and the inviter who was far from the traditional 'American' beauty, but Jacob always felt that blondes with blue eyes were over-rated, hence Bella.

"Any place around here." Bonnie promised as Jacob took the cash back into the store and came back out, looking for the black girl who'd offered to help him. There he saw her just ahead and fervently arguing with a white guy who looked about Jacob's age.

* * *

"You did _what_? Are you crazy?" Jeremy spat out, his back against one of the unused gas pumps. "Do you realize that this guy could kill you? He's _huge_."

"I know what I did is … unorthodox, but you should've seen him. He has no food and probably no place to go."

"So I assume that you'll be inviting him to stay at your place." Jeremy scoffed.

"Actually … I was thinking that you could take him to your house. I know it's a lot to ask and if it wasn't for this thing my parents are doing tonight, I'd have snuck him in and found out his deal."

"So … how did I get roped into this again?"

"Remember." Bonnie breathed suddenly, "If anything happens, you can take him. We're going to get some take out and if you feel threatened, even just a little bit tell me but in code. Ask me about my grandma."

"This is really stupid, you know that?"

"I know." Bonnie answered back.

"And if he attacks you?"

"You'll be a witness."

"And if he chops your body into little pieces?"

"Don't be ridiculous." Bonnie walked back over to Jacob who had been eavesdropping in on everything. "Hi umm … this is Jeremy and I'm Bonnie. I'm sorry. I didn't get your name back there."

"It's Jacob. Jacob Black."

* * *

Caroline couldn't rationalize it, but things didn't always have to make sense, did they? Like Bonnie being a witch and Damon with his biting fetishes. It was illogical, but not as nonsensical as her being where she was at this moment.

She tightened her grip on his body for a second as the hammock continued to sway and he kept his eyes closed. Matt. _Elena's _Matt. It didn't make sense.

He wasn't charming or witty, tall and muscular, funny or a heartthrob. In fact, Mattcould be quite dull sometimes. His constant brooding over Elena was pathetic, especially since she'd moved on over three months ago.

Whatever qualities he lacked, he made up for simply because he was here. Unlike Damon, who just used her for all she had and the previous guys who just wanted to have a good time, Matt was consistent. Consistently there.

He held her when she needed and gave her her space at school. The secret thing wasn't really in Caroline's vocabulary, but she loved to have something that was all hers. And it felt good to have a guy stay for once.

"I wish this didn't have to change."

"It doesn't." Matt whispered, opening his eyes suddenly. He was just as lonely as she was, maybe even more so.

"We both know that things are always changing. And just like this started, it could end."

"Nonsense. Let's just relax and enjoy it."

* * *

The fact that there was another vampire out there waiting bothered Damon, a lot. He probably already knew about them, meaning that he had the upper hand, meaning that Damon could no longer be the town villain.

He was probably just overreacting, but the thought of having competition for the most notorious creature in Mystic Falls was enticing. Too bad had the advantage, but Damon had always been good at finding out what he wanted, and _fast_.

Now that was a skill that he had learned while he was human and perfected during his many years as an immortal.

"Where is she?" Stefan appeared in the woods, destroying Damon's newest ploy, anything to deter his thoughts from going back to Elena.

"What?"

"I know you did something to her or said something." Stefan neared his brother, ready for a fight.

"Oh, not this again." Damon rolled his eyes and continued walking through the forest. Something was different here. Something just wasn't … right.

"Elena. She was there at my house. Everything was fine and then she ran off in the middle of the night. Did you tell her?"

"Tell her what? Haven't you told her everything already?" Damon wondered. Then he lifted his eyebrows, thinking about the one secret Stefan would never **purposely **tell. "Oooh … that one. See that is good."

"What is--"

"She knows that she's a dead ringer for Katherine. Maybe even her reincarnate." Damon continued with a smirk, eyeing the expression of his brother. Watch it. Watch it…

"Don't you say that!" Stefan snarled, hurling his brother into the air and against one of the trees.

"Now that … wasn't nice." Damon stood as though he hadn't been touched. "But … fortunately for _you_, I've got something more important to do than engage in a tet e tet with my overly angsty brother." He patted Stefan on the back smugly. "Oh, and if you're looking for your sweetheart, I'd check the remnants of her car…"

* * *

"They have the best burgers, tacos, pizza … everything in town. I kid you not." Bonnie stated freely with a very dirty Jacob at her side. "Like I said, you can have whatever you like. I won't force you to go there."

"No, that's fine." Jacob smiled, making sure to keep his mouth closed. It had been a while since he cared about what he looked like or had even see a mirror, and smiling could be the very thing that could scare everyone off.

"Okay. Jer can you get like burgers, tacos … everything I just listed and a veggie platter?"

"Why do I have to do it?" Jeremy whined as Bonnie gave him a look and reached past Jacob into the change drawer she had in her car.

"Because I'm paying." She handed him the cash as Jeremy gave her a look of disapproval.

"Aren't you scared that…" He made a quick head gesture towards Jacob.

"I can take him." Bonnie smiled, turning to Jacob as soon as Jeremy left. "So … I don't know a thing about you except that you like to steal."

"I'm not normally like that. I just got hungry…"

"So you're homeless? Or a runaway?"

"I'm not running away, but just looking for something …" Jacob's eyebrows darkened as Bonnie examined him more closely.

"If it's adventure that you want, Mystic Falls isn't the place you want to be." Bonnie smiled.

"I'm actually trying to find a more slow-paced town. So…" Jacob explained as Bonnie nodded. So he was going to be staying around. One more person for her to worry about falling victim to another 'animal attack.'

"So, you're obviously planning to stay here. Where are you staying … if you don't know the answer to that question, then don't worry. I've got something temporary for you, _if _you need it and call me if you need anything…"

* * *

(A/N: I was supposed to get this story going before the second part of the season aired, but I was trying to wait until I finished chapter three. Review. Luv. --NL)


	3. I Don't Know Who I Am Anymore

**Chapter Three: I Don't Know Who I Am Anymore**

**

* * *

**

"I don't know what size you wear, but … here." Jeremy tossed a small hill of clothing Jacob's way, handing him a clean razor and pack of underwear. "The bathroom's down the hall." He replied turning his back to the hobo-looking guy and popping in his earphones, ready for a major study session.

"Thanks." Jacob tried to seem friendly without smiling. It was difficult, but he knew that he looked and smelled like he hadn't showered in weeks. Truth be told, he hadn't so this right here was going to feel really good.

He plunged his body into the ice coldwater, turning it all the way to the left until steam filled the room. Jacob closed his eyes, allowing the water to cleanse away all of the dirt, grime, and drama that still remained from Forks, Washington.

When he was done, he allowed himself to air dry, enjoying the sense of freedom, which was more human than he'd felt in a long time.

But that feeling was made laconic, curtailed by the girl he had found on the side of the road. Jacob still didn't know her name, but he knew where to find her … she'd be at the hospital where he left her. There was something inside of him that didn't want to let that go.

A beautiful brunette in distress with a vampire after her was way too reminiscent of what he left behind, but he had to find out what the vamp wanted with her. And he needed to be there in case there was another attack.

**

* * *

**

Elena opened her eyes slowly feeling more pain than she could ever remember feeling in the past. Just thinking about the past was making her head hurt even more. She tried to calm down and figure out where she was.

As Elena sat up to figure this out, her eyes landed on a brown-skinned guy who was watching her closely. "Who _are _you? Do I know you?"

"I uh … I'm sorry that I woke you." Jake stood up suddenly taken aback by the Bella-vibes that this girl was giving off.

"Why are you here?"

"I-I … umm… I wanted to make sure that you were alright. You were in a pretty bad accident."

"I was?"

"Yeah. You don't remember?" Jacob wondered, walking closer to her.

"No. Nothing. I-I'm trying to remember what I was doing and how I ended up here, but everything's a blank."

"That's okay. You're probably just a little tired from what happened. I'm Jake by the way." He extended his hand as a friendly gesture.

"Nice to meet you Jake. I'm … umm…" Elena scrunched her eyebrows together and tried to focus. What was her name? Who was she? "I-I think I better go back to sleep." She decided, not wanting to reveal that she didn't even know her own name.

Jacob waited patiently until she went to sleep and remained alert for any paranormal activity. The hospital was pretty still and quiet. The only noise that resonated in Jacob's ears was the footsteps of an approaching nurse. He stood up and tried to make an easy escape, but she spotted him.

"Oh! It's _you._" She beamed. "You really saved this girl's life you know?"

"It wasn't a big deal."

"Oh, but it is."

"There's no information on her door, like her name or anything … have you contacted her parents?"

"Not yet, but if we can get some information from her boyfriend … " The nurse began. There was a pause as she looked up at Jacob.

"Oh, you mean me …"

"You _are _her boyfriend, right? Because if you aren't then … I can't allow you to be here."

"Yeah of course, I'd be happy to answer questions about … Nikki."

"Hmm." The nurse scrunched up her nose, noticing that this guy obviously did not know anything about the girl in the hospital bed, but she proceeded as though he had given her the right answer. "Last time you left before we could get any answers." The nurse continued as Jacob disclosed enough information for them to figure out who she was and how to contact her family.

**

* * *

**

"Do you think Elena will be mad?"

"Mad about what? She broke up with me." Matt answered back, running his hands through Caroline's hair. This time, they had met up in the park, sequestered themselves under one of the trees in the back. The entire scenario made this more exciting than it would have been if Caroline was just open about what was happening.

"Well, you never know…" She hinted, smiling and staring at Mat intensely. They were almost to that point where … they'd crossed the 'just friends' line, but not just yet. Caroline leaned in, attempting to cross that line by kissing Matt once and for all.

"And we're just friends, right?" He pulled away from her, reaching into the picnic basket they'd brought with them and pulling out another sandwich.

"Eating again?"

"Yeah." Matt shrugged, stuffing the bread into his mouth before Caroline could start to grill him. She wasn't offended or hurt at all that she had tried to kiss Matt and he had pulled away since … he didn't make it weird and maybe Matt didn't even realize what she was trying to do.

Or … maybe … she was just making up things to protect her own ego. Either way, Caroline wasn't mad. She just ran her hands through his hair playfully and enjoyed with little time they had left before he had to go to work.

"I wish you didn't have to go."

"I'll see you tomorrow. Don't worry." He promised, resting his hand on the side of her face.

"Go." Caroline said while thinking about their next meeting. She was actually looking forward to being with boring Matt Donovan. What was the world coming to?

**

* * *

**

Bonnie had to do this. Jeremy still didn't know where Elena was and he didn't seem concerned at all. She had thought about calling Stefan, but she didn't have his number … convenient. This was why she was at the steps of the Salvatore house, freaked out beyond belief.

The near-death experience with Damon had opened her mind to a work full of possibilities that she had never imagined before. It was as though everything she had been taught was just 'fiction' growing up was coming to life. Ghosts, vampires, spirits … what _next, _.

"Stefan?" She called unsurely, knocking on the door and then trying to concentrate to see if she could sense any danger before anything actually happened. But lately, she hadn't been able to see anything. "Stefan!" She yelled again, once trying to project a protection circle had failed.

Without her powers she was extremely vulnerable to anyone, especially Damon.

"Ste-"

"Bonnie?" He opened the door as she pushed her way in without being invited. Once the door had been closed, she realized that whereas before she was out in the open, exposed to a potential vampire she had now shut herself in with a known one. "Are you okay?"

"I'm just here for one reason Stefan … where is Elena."

He sighed. "I- I wish I knew. I was actually going to ask you to help me find her."

"You need my help? I-I don't think I can. That whole witch thing … my powers don't work, at least not like before. I can't control them." Her voice rose suddenly with Bonnie rubbing her temple and a small fire starting on the wooden floor. "I'm sorry." She tried to put it out, but Stefan had to put it out himself.

"Is this because of--"

"I'm going to go." She turned towards the door. "Let me know if you find her." Bonnie pulled out a scrap of paper from her bag. "Here's my number … I don't want to have to make another trip here."

"Understood." He took the paper as Bonnie bolted from the house and into her car. Safe.

**

* * *

**

Jacob woke up in a hospital chair, surrounded by smells of sterility and blinding whiteness. He had gone to visit the damsel, once again, only to find out that her name was Elena. Huh. She seemed more like a Bianca or something more … Greek?

"Finally. You were snoring so loudly that I couldn't go back to sleep." She commented, looking more cheerful and upbeat than before.

"I'm sorry _Elena_."

"No problem Jake. Come here." She requested as Jacob rubbed his hands through his hair before getting up and moving closer to her. "You know what … I am so tired of lying here and you've been my only visitor." Elena reached for Jake, hugging him. "Thank you for being here."

"No problem." He sighed thinking about the last time he had been this close with someone … it was Leah, when she had tackled him. What a pain in the ass she was.

"Do you think my family is upset with me?" Elena asked, 'If I even have a family,' she added to herself.

"Of course not." He shrugged, stroking her hair before sitting back down, this time resting in a chair that was closer to her. "I wish I could help you … is there anything that I can do--"

"Oh my GOD. Elena!" Her Aunt Jenna ran into the room with a bouquet of flowers so large that they covered her face completely when she carried them. "I didn't know you were here. When I got the call, I freaked … I thought about … well … you know."

Elena shook her head confused after being suffocated in a hug by a person who was no more familiar to her than the new doctor that she had been switched to. Apparently, he knew her too … from a past hospital visit or something?

"I wasn't worried." Jeremy admitted giving Elena a hug. "How you doing sis?" He wondered as a flicker of recognition crossed Elena's face. Actually, she was relieved to have someone come see her besides her boyfriend?

"I'm okay." She responded.

"Give her some space Jeremy." The woman stated as Jacob suddenly started to feel very uncomfortable, not knowing who this woman was after claiming to have been her boyfriend and all…

"Hey, Elena, I'm just going to go head out."

"No. Jake, don't." She exclaimed. He was the only person in the room that she had a memory of. The rest of these people … who were they?? It was almost overwhelming. "I want you to stay."

"Elena …" A black girl rushed into the room, looking scared and near tears. This somehow appealed to Elena and she started crying as well. She knew this girl … maybe she didn't remember everything about her, but Elena could see that she was genuine.

"You're going to make me cry."

"Don't cry Elena." Bonnie demanded, more tears spilling over her cheeks.

"Tissue?" Jacob reached for the Kleenex and handed a few sheets to each girl.

"Thanks. That's really nice of you…" Bonnie started, waiting for him to finish by adding in his name. She found herself momentarily distracted by his dark eyes and his thick eyebrows, pressed together, which seemed quite… pensive over something.

"It's Jacob from earlier…" He answered as Jeremy and Jenna started fawning and fussing over Elena and her tears.

"Oh." Bonnie exhaled, unaware that time had not actually stopped.

"Yeah." He smiled at her before turning to address everyone. "Does anyone want anything to drink … a soda?"

"Get me one Jake." Elena requested, still unable to figure out that the red head in her face, asking her all these questions was her Aunt Jenna. She just needed someone to say her name, one time and Elena would remember it.

He nodded, moving to the left as Bonnie moved to her right to get out of his way. Then, he moved right and she moved left. "I'm just going to stand still and you go." Bonnie stated as Jacob continued towards the door, not giving her another look.

It was just as well. First quarter finals, philanthropy work and finding out what happened to Elena, _and _her powers were more than enough to keep her busy. But still … it would've been fun to crush on someone and have them crush back.

**

* * *

**

Jacob was heading towards the soda machine, off to get something for his 'girlfriend,' but he didn't even know what she liked and he didn't have the money to get it. He was sure he could figure out a way to get the soda anyway, but not with all these people around.

"Scheming a way to get a five finger discount out the soda machine?" Bonnie approached him with money in her hand. "I remembered your … situation and thought that maybe you might need help again."

"Yeah." He looked down embarrassed, touching his hair. "I really just wanted to get out of there. I feel like such a poser up there since I just met Elena and all…"

"How do you--" Bonnie started to ask, handing him the money and then seeing a flash of a vision. Elena in her car upside down and a dark, animal-like figure approaching her… "Sorry." She gasped, starting to breathe heavily, paranoid that her world was about to be rocked again by whatever creature had attacked Elena.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Just a neck spasm." She lied, trying to get eye contact with Jacob so she could find out if he … was he … why would she get a vision like this from him?

"Oh." He watched her carefully wondering what had just happened. Was she a bloodsucker too … Naw. He would've smelled it.

"Orange."

"What?"

"Her favorite is orange soda." Bonnie smiled.

"Good to know." Jacob grinned at her in a way that made Bonnie start thinking about that crush thing again.

"So, how do you know Elena?"

"I found her car broken down in the middle of the road. She had hit a deer or something--"

"Bonnie! Where is she?" Caroline exclaimed, paying attention to her friend for two seconds before she noticed the eye candy standing near her, the same guy she had noticed when she snuck into the hospital with Matt. This was the perfect set-up. "Hey." She started to run towards her friend, aware that her high heels had no traction, aware that she could potentially get hurt by doing this.

"What room number--" She continued before brushing past Bonnie and crashing into the beefy dude. Her exact intentions at this moment. The two went crashing to the ground with Jacob finding himself pinned by a sly blonde.

"Are you okay?" He muttered after pausing and thinking about the compromising situation they were both in.

"I think so." Caroline tried to move, but realized that her ankle was hurting a little. Damn. She had been too ambitious this time. Bonnie watched the scene unfold rolling her eyes. Her friend was absolutely shameless. She saw _cute_, fresh meat appear in Mystic Falls and she was all over him like a bee on honey, just like she had been with Stefan.

"I guess not." She rolled off of Jacob, who stood up and reached to help her up. "I think I can get it." Caroline stated, fruitlessly trying to stand, almost wobbling until Jacob caught her by the waist.

"Classic." Bonnie muttered to herself. Caroline could so have this one. It wasn't like her to fight over a guy … "You go help Caroline back to the room and I'll get the sodas."

Jacob shot Bonnie an apologetic look as she picked up an orange soda for Elena and Dasani water for herself.

**

* * *

**

Walking back to the room with the blonde, Caroline, in his arms was easy, but Jacob had to at least fake it so that no one got suspicious. But nothing could be more suspicious than a 6'3 hobo looking guy who was naked and carrying a bruised up girl into the hospital …

"Should I call the doctor for you?" He asked as Caroline continued to look up at him as though he were Superman.

"No. You're going a great job."

I brought her back in the room, placing her on one of the chairs with Bonnie trailing me with the sodas in her hands. The conversation picked up again and then Bonnie started talking to Jeremy about where I was going to stay tonight.

"I don't think he should stay with us again."

"What did he do?"

"Nothing." Jeremy answered. "But Jenna might freak if she knew we just found him on the street."

"Then … he can stay at my place, I guess."

"Are you talking about Jacob?" Elena chimed in. "He's been sleeping at the hospital keeping me company for two days before any of you got here. He's staying with us, right Aunt Jenna?"

"Yes." She answered, so happy that Elena was okay that she wouldn't deny her this. "Just until we figure something else out."

Jacob stopped eavesdropping, slipping out the main door but not before he could feel the insides of his nostrils start to burn. He held back a growl when he saw what was in front of him. Vampire.

The guy looked at him, surprised by Jacob's presence, but didn't pay him much more attention before rushing to Elena's side and kissing her … like a _boyfriend _would.

**

* * *

**

While everyone else was at the hospital visiting Elena and trying to help her remember things that weren't remotely familiar to her, Damon was solving the mystery of _who _had turned that reporter dude and why they were _here_.

He had had to kill the reporter dude in front of the cops so they wouldn't catch on, leaving him with no leads, but Damon was still getting somewhere.

All the clues had led him to this one place, to the old cave.

Standing in front of it Damon felt a hint of nostalgia, thinking of Katherine and how she had dominated him, taught him the ways of a vampire before he even truly knew what he was getting into. Damon looked down and shook his head, thinking about how pointless being immortal was without her in his life but … that was just temporary.

With or without the GrimwareKatherine would be brought back to life. As Damon resumed moving, he pushed away flashbacks and focused on the task. Find the visitors and free his love.

He pressed on, making his way into the now abandoned and bordered up house. Someone had been here recently … he could feel it. Things looked disturbed and Katherine's … grave had been tampered with.

This made Damon furious. "Show yourself!" He demanded as a huge powerful force knocked into his side. Only caught half off guard, Damon fought back moving and fighting all while trying to unmask this creature. When he thought he had it, the creature moved away back out of sight. Lost him. "Damn."

"Ha ha." An amused female voice muttered with a sophistication that made it less familiar to him. "Still got your fighting spirit Damon." She emerged from the shadows, her once black hair and brown skin off set by waves of red.

"Colette."

"You didn't really think I'd let you go without a fight, even if you did just leave me … that wasn't nice by the way." She responded while swiftly weakening Damon with a light dose of vervainand locking him somewhere where no one would be able to find him…

**

* * *

**

** (A/N: So what do you think? I'm trying not to let myself get too influenced by the actual show, especially since I started this before the second half of the season. I'm loving reviews, so keep giving them. Luv. --NL) **


	4. End of Neutrality

**Chapter Four: End of Neutrality**

* * *

"I'm trying Grams!" Bonnie yelled, frustrated that she still wasn't able to make the floating objects move where she wanted them. It only worked when she thought about one particular item but if she did that, everything else fell down.

"You've got to try harder honey. It's like that multitasking that you do all the time … talking on the phone, while driving and eating … it's just like that."

"I know Grams but … I have to go." Bonnie gave her grandmother a hug before rushing off to school. She had spent the night there, not wanting to hear her parents boast about the virtues of being the enforcers of law.

Plus, she needed a quiet place to concentrate on finals which didn't work so well since her mind was clouded with thoughts of Elena's accident and a pending follow-up vampire attack. Bonnie was on the lookout for Damon, but it was true that anyone could attack at any time. Anyone could be a vampire and she wouldn't even know, which was horrifying.

Bonnie used to feel a little safe in her car, but not now. She just wanted to get to school as quickly as possible. As she started pulling out of Grams's driveway, her cell phone started to ring. It was Elena's number. "Hey girl."

"Actually … it's me."

"Jeremy?"

"Yeah. I need a ride over to school."

"Can't you get one from Elena?" Bonnie wondered, momentarily becoming agitated.

"If her car wasn't broken and if she could remember who she was…"

"I'll be there soon. You're lucky I'm in the area." Bonnie noted jokingly as she tried to calm down. If she would just breathe she would see that this wasn't so bad after all. Plus, Jeremy in the car meant extra protection or … maybe he would be more collateral damage.

* * *

"Bonnie's giving us a ride to school today, but after this you'll have to find your own way." Jeremy said to Jacob who had spent most of the night unable to sleep. The fact that Elena's boyfriend was a vampire was very bothersome and it was all too familiar.

"Thanks." Jacob mumbled, rushing out of the house first. He immediately went for the back but as soon as he opened the door, Bonnie started talking to him.

"I didn't know you were coming along." She greeted him cheerfully.

"Yeah … thanks by the way."

"Of course. You can sit in the front you know." Bonnie offered as Jacob started to move but Jeremy beat him there. "Next time get your own ride." She scolded Jeremy. "Seriously Jer, what's going on with your car?"

"I'm afraid to drive it since … what happened to Elena."

"Ha. Ha. You need gas money, right?" Bonnie backed out of the yard as Jeremy grinned back at her. "You could always get a job." She handed him twenty dollars. "I'm _lending you _this money, meaning give it back. Why don't you get a job?" Bonnie asked again as he scrunched up his nose at the money, but took it anyway.

"No time. School." He responded, turning on the radio and changing it until he got to an alternative station.

"Funny. If you change your mind, I can talk to my parents … they might have some stenographic work for you … translation, you can be their secretary slash personal assistant slash--." She smiled.

"Office bitch? No thanks." Jeremy declined. "Now this is what life's about. Music. Freedom--"

"Just a few months ago, it was all about Vicki and now music? That's your new thing?"

"You can't stand still waiting on something or someone to come back to you. Life is about moving, progress, change." Jeremy spewed enthusiastically giving Bonnie a long, intense look.

"I guess you're right … how's Elena doing?" Bonnie wondered, changing the mood of the conversation because it felt like Jeremy was giving her the eye and … she was too tired to try and figure that out.

"Elena doesn't remember anything. She pretends like she does, but she doesn't … but other than that everything's normal, thanks to Jake here."

"Oh Jacob, I almost forgot you were here." Bonnie commented, looking at her rear view mirror where she could see dark ruminating eyes looking right through her. It made her shiver and wonder what he was hiding, _if _he was hiding anything and why she was so paranoid about him. "How do you like it here so far?"

"It's just like any other place. Cool." Jacob smiled convincingly.

"You say that now, but wait until you see the school. Standoffish people, trash everywhere, food that tastes like s--"

"Jeremy is exaggerating." Bonnie cut him off, placing her hand over his mouth for a second. "Mystic Falls High is amazing. Part of our school came from an old mansion built back in the 1860's, there's a ton of history there and you already know me, Caroline, Jeremy and Elena so it's not like you're alone or anything."

"So you're inviting him to eat with you at lunch?" Jeremy wondered. "I didn't get that privilege when I was a freshman."

"You're a freshman?" Bonnie asked as she parked the car and Jeremy hopped out before she even cut the car off. Jacob nodded, embarrassed. Sixteen years old and a freshman?? That was more than just a little lame, but he had never given school that much thought.

"Yeah. I kinda just stopped going to class…" And now since he was involved in this big vampire-werewolf epic battle, it seemed increasingly trivial.

"Why? You just can't stop going to school. High school is a requirement and if you don't graduate, you'll never be able to move on." Bonnie continued, reaching for her bag, which Jacob handed to her. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"No, not for this. For Elena. I went to visit her again and all she can talk about is you. You saved her life and that means the world to me. You know she was my first friend here and it's just so rare that you actually stay close to the people you knew when you were a kid."

Jacob nodded, watching Bonnie's face become animated as she talked about how Elena was like a sister to her.

"Have you ever had a friend like that?" The question caught Jacob off guard and he began thinking about Quil and Embry?

"Yeah but … I'm here now so I guess I'll have to make new friends."

"That'll be easy. I'll introduce you to everyone." Bonnie offered. "But first, I guess you'll have to go to the office, get your schedule figure out where your locker is and everything … if you need me, I have 4th period free and 3B lunch."

Jacob nodded as Bonnie waved him off, rushing down the hallway and leaving him to fend for himself. He didn't get very far before he ran into the blonde again, Caroline.

"Your foot is better." He noted immediately as she started to approach him.

"Just a little but … if you ever want to carry me around, I'm not opposed to it." She smiled. "So where are we going?" Caroline wondered, lightly placing her hand on Jacob's bicep … _very _nice.

"The office."

"Easy. I'll show you." Caroline responded seductively, reaching for his hand and pulling him down the hallway as he noticed her short black miniskirt and tights. "So you have to register and everything, right?"

Jacob nodded.

"Do you have old school transcripts or anything with you?"

"No. Why would I?"

"No problem. I can get you in whatever classes you want … what grade are you going into?"

"Freshman." He licked his lips, embarrassed.

"Really?" Her eyebrows rose. "Interesting … so you're only like fourteen?"

"No. Sixteen."

"Whatever." She shrugged, walking over to the counter and explaining the situation to the people, soon after walking over to Jacob with a list of classes still open. "I told them you were a sophomore … the freshman classes are a joke so now you have more options. Here." Caroline showed him the list of all available courses and then proceeded to help him to decide which classes to take. "And make sure you get 3C lunch. That's what I have."

* * *

"You owe me some answers before you kiss me like that again … I spared you in front of my family but now, you owe me.

"For one … if you're my boyfriend then why weren't you there all the time that I was in the hospital? Why are you just appearing now?" Elena asked Stefan the next morning while everyone was off at school.

"I didn't know where you were. I'm sorry Elena."

"Fine." Elena pressed her lips together, staring into his eyes. "Why does it seem like you're hiding something from me … Stefan is it?"

"The doctors want you to figure it out. They don't want us to fill in the picture just to make sure--"

"My memory is working. Got it." Elena yawned, eyeing the guy in front of her. He had that heart-breaker look, but she just didn't see herself with someone like this. The brooding, the clenched jaw and secrets … it was attractive, but very disconcerting.

"So, remember anything new like … why you were on the road by yourself?" He asked, trying to find out if Elena had any recollection of her striking resemblance to Katherine.

"No. Just what Jacob told me."

"How well do you know him?" Stefan moved closer to Elena, holding her hand lovingly, and trying to find out what a werewolf was doing in Mystic Falls. That just spelled trouble.

"Better than I know you." She replied as Stefan looked down defeated. He couldn't lose Elena like this, not this easily. "He's been amazing and understanding with me. I have nothing bad to say about him."

"Of course." He smiled, kissing Elena's forehead and masking his anger. Stefan was going to find out everything he could about Jacob, including why he was here, and then send him packing.

* * *

"Colette seriously … what are you doing here?" Damon asked, very unconcerned that she had him tied down as to where he couldn't move, at least for now. "And can you get this thing away from me?" He requested, referring to the vervain which was seriously starting to weaken him.

"I don't know why you're surprised Damon. This is the game … you sneak away into the night and I find you. I always find you."

"I thought you were--"

"Dead? Death is relative." She smiled. "Plus I took some of your blood, thanks for that by the way. If I hadn't I might actually be six feet under." Colette grasped the verbain and tossed it away from him. Damon looked at her in surprise. He had never seen a vamp that was able to touch the stuff without falling to their knees. He didn't question this just yet because his breathing returned to normal and his look transformed from pained to relaxed.

"So what do you want?" He asked in his sing-songy voice.

"I want in on your plan … to free the vamps trapped."

"How would you know about that?"

"Shh. It's a secret." She placed either leg on one side of him. "So, what do you say? Are you in?"

"How can I trust you?" Damon spat back.

"You left _me _for dead. And I could very well do the same to you right now, but I think you're more useful to me alive and … I kinda like you still." She admitted as Damon nodded. He could play along with this. If Colette was on his side, he wouldn't have to worry about her trying to sabotage a Katherine reunion.

She was always a jealous little thing, but Damon knew her weakness … which just happened to be him.

"Fine. I'll play nice." He surrendered. No sooner had he uttered these words had Colette planted her lips all over his and ripped off his shirt with superhuman strength, determined to bend his will and conquer him, making Katherine a distant memory.

* * *

"I need you to tell me everything you know about the accident." Stefan approached Jacob boldly at school right before lunch was scheduled to start.

"You're bold to approach me in the middle of the hallway."

"I don't care _what _you are. If you know something about Elena and what happened, I need to know. I need to know if someone attacked her. I need to know--"

"Why don't you ask her? She_ is_ your girlfriend, isn't she?" Jacob challenged, taking out his Bella-Edward frustrations on a guy who was Edward-like enough to fit the bill.

"She doesn't remember anything and you know it … did you do something to her? It was you, wasn't it?" Stefan accused acting irrationally. He knew what he was doing was stupid and potentially dangerous but when it came to Elena, all logic disappeared.

He just wanted to protect her from his world … and to love her.

"I _saved _her life." Jacob smirked.

"What did you do to her? Tell me!" Stefan screamed, pulling on Jacob as he started to walk away.

"You don't touch me." He responded giving Stefan a swift, human push before a mini-fight commenced. But both parties were holding back to seem as human as possible…

* * *

"I thought I had a free period today. Caroline, this is so unfair."

"I'm sorry Bonnie, but you know the rules…" She began looking as cheerful and sophisticated as always. "In the event that the scheduled peer mediator is unavailable, that duty falls on the president which happens to be you." She informed her friend.

"And if I decide not to deal with it, then it's your problem right?" Bonnie wondered, scooping her hair into a ponytail and sliding the remaining study materials into her bag.

"You wouldn't."

"I should. Caroline, I really need to focus and study."

"I'm sorry. I can't do it." She bit her lip as Bonnie sighed, stood up, and gave in. "I know I owe you. Whatever you need in the future … a study room, a day with two free periods … let me know. Being student body Vice-President means I can get you whatever you want."

By that time, Bonnie had already snatched up the debriefing papers and was off to find out what it was. If it was another catfight over some rusty guy, she was going to be majorly pissed.

* * *

Only in school for one day and Jacob was already surrounded by trouble. Since he had gotten to this new town, the bad forces in his life seemed to have grown stronger, forcing themselves into his life and now …. Well now he had to sit here and discuss is problem with Stefan to a random person.

What he should've been doing was preparing to leave. Mystic Falls was really interesting, strange, and creepy … with undertones of supernatural activity hidden behind its small, historic town image.

"I'm here to do the peer mediation." Bonnie announced, looking around for the two guys who had gotten into a fight, but she only saw Jacob … and Stefan. "Wait … you two … what happened?"

Neither guy answered.

"Fine. Stefan, you first." She took him aside only to find out that he had lashed out on Jacob because he was trying to protect Elena. Bonnie knew that this was code for Stefan not trusting Jacob for whatever reason. She listened to his reasons, noted it on her clipboard and then walked over to Jacob.

"My turn?"

"Your turn … not even twenty-four hours at school and you're smashing in people's heads." She joked. "What was the fight about?"

"Are you going to note it on your clipboard?"

"I have to." Bonnie answered back.

"He his hands on me and I retaliated. He doesn't trust me around Elena and I don't trust him around her either." Jacob spewed.

"If you both care about Elena, wouldn't it make sense to get over not liking each other and channel your attention into helping her recover?" Bonnie offered, lightly resting her hand on Jacob's shoulder. "She would be really disappointed if she ever found out about the fight."

Bonnie could feel a sudden heat rising from her hand and traveling throughout her entire body. She tried not remain professional and not worry about it, but if things kept going like this, Jacob would become a regular part of her thoughts.

"And I may not have a place to stay … I know."

"That's not true. If the Gilberts get tired of you, my house is always open and Caroline … she loves you." Bonnie joked, waiting for a reaction. This was her way of testing him to see if she would be wasting her time .. if she decided to pursue him, _if_.

"She likes to flirt." Jacob shrugged and then smiled. "I like to have fun and Caroline seems like fun, so …" Jacob shrugged.

"Yeah. Fun." I nodded.

"It's not like she really knows me anyway." Jacob added, trying to read Bonnie's darkened expression. There was something a little … different about her and considering that her best friend was dating a blood-sucker, Jacob was certain that she played her own little part in this story. He just didn't know who or _what _she was yet.

"Nobody here really knows you." She answered after a while as Jacob noticed that her hand was still touching his body, but he made no action to move it.

"And I'm trying to keep it that way." Jacob allowed his inherent jovial nature to transform into something more solemn. "I'll be leaving soon enough." He turned from Bonnie once they locked eyes.

"It's called running from your problems. And if you don't solve them, you'll face them again later in your life. That's the way it works … if you don't learn how to fix it, that same scenario will keep plaguing you over and over and over."

Jacob looked down, briefly thought about what she said and then asked, "So it's your job to handle other people's problems?"

"Nice try. This is about you and Stefan, not me." Bonnie answered before continuing to fill out the papers in front of her about the situation. She was never happier to have pen and paper in her hands.

* * *

There were so many things going on now and it seemed like Bonnie was barely able to keep it together without having Elena to talk to. Maybe expecting her to have a fully recovered memory after two days was pushing it, and maybe she should've been burying her head in a book, fully immersed in learning but she needed someone to talk to.

The thought of Damon still brought an immense chill over her body and until she got over it, her control over her powers wasn't going to get any stronger. And in order to stop freaking out so much, she had to talk to Elena but knew she really couldn't tell her everything … which was why she was ambivalent about whether or not to walk into the room.

"Who's there … _Bonnie_?" Elena wondered unsurely, but smiling once she realized that she had remembered the girl's name. Good. That was one step forward.

"Hey Elena. School was a beast today. I had to peer mediate a fight in between trying to study for McClain's death finals and…" Bonnie stopped gushing once she realized that Elena looked confused and overwhelmed.

So Bonnie changed pace, " … I came because I wanted to see how you're doing." Bonnie lied, wishing that she could talk to her about the vampire stuff and make sure she was still wearing the vervain necklace and everything but … it didn't look like she was.

"That's very nice of you Bonnie and I'm fine." Elena nodded turning on the television and stopping until she got to reruns of _Laguna Beach_. For some reason, the cast of identical-looking California blondes with no real cares in the world appealed to her.

Bonnie tried to focus on television as well, but was taken aback by what Elena had chosen. Old Elena would never even give a show like this a second thought. She even hated it when Caroline forced us to watch _Gossip Girl. _Bonnie studied her closely thinking about how to help her and bring Elena back.

"I'm a little hungry. Do you want something?" She asked, to excuse herself. She was really going across the street to the library, not to study for school but to study Elena's condition and to figure out how long until she got her friend back.

"I'm fine. Maybe ice cream or something they don't allow me to have in this place. This show is _hilarious _by the way. Who do you like better … Kristin or L.C.?"

"Umm … they're both great … I guess…" Bonnie scurried out of the room and took off running. She was so intent on this mission that Jacob's presence went unnoticed.

* * *

Jacob was back at the hospital because he couldn't let it go. He was still holding onto the past and acting the same way he did with Bella towards Elena. It was a little sad and pathetic, but this was who he knew how to be—the hero best friend who was always there, wanting and waiting for more to happen.

"Jake!" Elena screamed enthusiastically when he walked into the room, as he busted out a smile. This was the reception he had been waiting for.

"How's it going today?"

"I'm bored as hell and this food is completely tasteless. Tell me you brought me something yummy to eat." She begged as Jacob revealed a bag of food from the first _non-dumpster _place that he had eaten, courtesy of Bonnie. "Thanks." She reached for the bag, emptying the food onto her tray. "You can have some too if you want."

"No. I'm good." Jacob stood back and watched her eating, thinking how beautiful her light skin looked, contrasting against her deep tresses. He just wanted to tuck them into place, out of her face and then have her look at him … exactly like _that_.

"You know you're the only normal person around here?" Elena started. "My Aunt Jenna is freaking out all the time, Stefan is trying to make me believe that we're in love and everyone else is just a blur. Thanks for not being hyper emotional around me." She thanked Jacob, reaching for his hand which he did not deny her.

Elena smiled victoriously, beckoning the young stranger to sit down with her as they joked and just had fun.

* * *

By the time Bonnie had returned to the hospital, the articles she had perused about memory loss were completely depressing and her mind was swarming with baleful thoughts on how she may have lost her best friend forever. Unable to hide this, her face was tear-stricken as she entered the room with ice cream.

Only this time, Elena wasn't alone and there was laughter, lots of it. Bonnie rushed to hide her sadness, but it was already spotted by Jacob. Angry at both of them, Bonnie tossed the ice cream sandwich on the hospital room counter and walked away silently.

"Bonnie, are you … alright?" Elena inquired, feeling the need to cry herself. She couldn't help it.

"Nothing. I just … miss you … I'm going home. See you two later." She studied the uneven floor patterns as she said so, with Jacob giving her a sideways glance.

"I'll be back in a moment Bella!" He called back to Elena and starting chasing after Bonnie, not realizing his mistake.

"It's not necessary to follow me." Bonnie breathed once they were both on either side of her car.

"I wanted to make sure that you were fine." Jacob explained, walking around the car until they were face to face … well, almost. She was only about 5'7 and he was 6'3 …

Bonnie nodded, fumbling with her keys to open the door when Jacob stopped her with one hand. She looked at him, reminded of the moment they had had at the soda machine. This time she felt very warm fingertips, wiping away any traces of sadness.

She held her breath, unsure if it was just her imagination or if he could really be this warmth. Could he really be that hot? Bonnie averted her eyes from thinking something like that about someone who was so young. A year in high school was like an eternity for older girls and younger guys.

"I'm okay." Bonnie whispered, pressing her lips together to stop the tears but the waterworks started all over again. Jacob pulled her in for a light hug and even with the layer of clothing that he was wearing, she could still feel his temperature permeating and percolating through her skin.

"Do you want to talk?" He whispered, a sucker for a girl in need.

"No. You wouldn't understand." Bonnie hardened her expression and forced herself to pull away from Jacob. "I'm crying about losing friends and you just ran away here, voluntarily giving up on yours so … we have nothing to talk about."

"You don't understand the situation. I wasn't running away, I just had to leave."

"That doesn't make any sense." Bonnie explained. "As crazy as things can get around here, I would _never _leave Elena or Caroline … even Jeremy. They mean everything to me."

Jacob backed away as she got into the car and drove away. He didn't want to think about what had just happened or the guilt he was hiding over abandoning his pack.

* * *

(A/N: I was beginning to think that this story was going nowhere, but then I got this really good idea … it's sort of complicated and I hope I don't forget all the details because it is going to be _good_. I'm trying to merge two different worlds here, but I found a way to do it … wish me luck and I hope I didn't bore you to sleep with this one!! –NL)


	5. Breaking Connections

**Chapter Five: Breaking Connections**

* * *

_Lena … if you can hear me from where I am, I hope everyone is okay. How is everyone? _Jacob tried to reach his old friends, feeling really guilty thinking about Bonnie said. She was right. He had abandoned them, but something was calling him _here _and he couldn't just leave this unresolved, at least not until he found out who tried to kill Elena.

_If you really want to know, you'd get back out here … send us a post card at least saying you're alive. _

_I'm alive … how come … I can't hear anyone else?_

_I don't know. Whatever's going on Jake, figure it out and get back. We need you. For once we're in a situation and Sam doesn't know everything about how to handle it. _

_What does that m—_

_Gotta go. _The mindspeak that was going on suddenly stopped as though someone had turned off the power or pulled the plug.

Jacob was in wolf form, searching for his next meal and doing some research in the process, sniffing over the site of the car wreck. Even though the days had worn down the trail, he could still smell the stench of a vamp. It permeated and got stronger and stronger until it led him to a house.

After Jacob transformed back into his human self, he rang the doorbell and then rushed to a cluster of trees just to the side of the house. From there, he would find out who lived there and decide what to do with them.

"I'll get it Grams!" A female voice penetrated through the silence as he saw a familiar figure peer out from the front door. Bonnie … maybe he had reason to worry about her after all.

"If you were any other boy my mom would be worried, seriously freaked." Caroline raved at Matt who was studying her closely. She got so animated at times and he found it completely amusing and strangely enticing.

Matt didn't usually say much to Caroline, but he didn't really need to. She did plenty of talking, every once in a while saying things that she thought he was thinking, but she was completely wrong about everything. Surprisingly Caroline was exactly what he needed at this moment.

"But you're Matt. You're … harmless." She babbled on as Matt gave her a short smile.

"Harmless?"

"You know that's not what I mean. It's just…" Caroline searched for the right words as Matt wrapped his arm around her.

"Don't worry about it." He answered as she couldn't help but feel disappointed that Matt still hadn't kissed her yet.

* * *

Jeremy's loud, droning music with muffled words was starting to make his head pulsate to its dull, over-produced rhythms. It seemed to grow louder and shriller although it did nothing to sooth or distract him from what he'd seen happen earlier.

The vampire track had led him to Bonnie's house. He was contemplating the accuracy of his innate growing powers, but they had never failed him before. Or maybe they had. Maybe … finding the Cullens and tracking down Victoria had simply been coincidence and serendipity. He didn't really know much of anything anymore and facing her without being confrontational was out of the question.

If he saw Bonnie, his thoughts would come flowing out like a bad case of word diarrhea. Deciding against practicing what he was going to say to her, Jacob instead went out for a walk and eventually shed his human form for the fury version of myself where he went to retrace the vampire track…

"Now, you're just being a freeloader." Bonnie complained as Jeremy hopped into the front seat of her car, again. She had been spending time at the Gilbert house mostly because she was hoping that her presence would make Elena see the truth … only Elena was still in the hospital.

"I can drive if you want." He offered.

"Nice shot." Bonnie smiled back. "So is your friend coming along?"

"Jacob?"

"He didn't come home last night." Jeremy shrugged. Bonnie nodded remembering what she had said to him. It was a tad on the cruel side, but it was what she felt at the moment.

"I'm sure everything is fine." She added as Jeremy fiddled around with the radio.

"Yeah, don't worry about it …" He patted her leg comfortingly, a gesture which did little to ease her mind.

* * *

Jacob absolutely did _not _want to see Bonnie at all. The thought made him angry and when he was angry, there was always the chance that the beast would come out.

He tried to calm himself down, but his feelings were only inflamed once he saw Bonnie leaning against her locker and laughing with Jeremy. It looked like something had happened between them … the way he was leaning in.

Jacob started to turn around the other way, but Bonnie spotted him.

"Hey!" She waved kindly as though she hadn't chewed him out the night before. He acknowledged her back and reluctantly approached them, but Jeremy wasn't backing off.

"What's up guys?"

"Where were you last night?" Bonnie wondered immediately.

"Can we talk?" He replied, boldly reaching for her hand and sliding Bonnie away from Jeremy. The pair walked down the hallway, Bonnie noticing the heat of his body again, but not wanting to let go of him.

"Why aren't you talking?"

"I don't want you to think that I'm just some heartless guy who threw away his friends. It's not like that. I had to leave them for reasons …."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Bonnie asked, her wide, compassionate eyes growing passionate. She couldn't help but want to help others in distress.

"Not at school, but … maybe … yeah." Jacob shrugged.

"Good."

"It's just that I don't want you to think I'm an asshole for what I've said about why I left." Jacob continued still heated over the topic. "I don't want you to get the wrong impression or anything?"

"Why does it matter what I think?" Bonnie asked as Jacob stopped walking. He thought it had been obvious that … their paths kept crossing for a reason … but Jacob wasn't the type to admit that openly. Not anymore, not since being shot down so many times by Bella.

Jacob just shrugged in response, releasing her hand. Bonnie tried not to look disappointed or upset that he just completely shut down on her. She decided to do what she did best, put on a façade of happiness. "Well, I've got something else to ask you …. There's a bonfire tonight. Jeremy and I are gonna be there, but you can come and I'll invite Caroline too."

"Sure." Jacob shrugged half-listening again. After she said 'Jeremy and I' … it was over. Maybe he had waited too long to approach Bonnie and something really was going on with her and Jeremy. And then the way she thrust Caroline onto him spoke volumes. Bonnie was just not interested.

* * *

(A/N: Hold it. There's more. Followed by reviews, written by you .... -NL)


	6. What Do I Smell

**Chapter Five, Part Two: What Do I Smell **

* * *

"Hey." Stefan knocked on the hospital door lightly to visit his girlfriend. He was still not going to give up on her, not now or for as long as he lived.

"Oh … the brooder." Elena muttered sarcastically. She looked severely disappointed.

"Yeah. You can't get rid of me." Stefan joked back. "How are you feeling?"

"Sick to _death _of that question." Elena rolled her eyes and then tried to size Stefan up, but she just didn't get it. Besides his unbelieveable good-looks, there was nothing interesting about him.

"I bought you some food." He continued, handing her a tray from the caf.

"I'll pass." Elena turned her attention to the television which was she had been keeping tuned into MTV. Re-runs of _Taking the Stage _were on but she was much more interested in _Melrose Place, _wanting to seeif everyone would find out about Lauren's secret prostitute profession…

* * *

Jacob was seriously excited about tonight. He wanted to see Bonnie again and talk to her, especially after what Leah had told him.

But first, he wanted to see Elena and make sure she was okay.

"I've been waiting all day for you to get here. Finally!" She screamed excitedly, sitting on her bed fully dressed.

"Going somewhere?"

"I was hoping you'd keep your promise and sneak me out of this sea of whiteness. It's driving me insane." Elena explained, dramatically.

"But it's a school night."

"So?" Elena shrugged. "I'd kill to go to school … that's how pathetic I feel." She smiled. "So, what did you bring me to eat?"

"Oh. _That_. I forgot, but I'll go get you something right now."

"Good. Thanks." She hugged him before he left.

When Jacob returned, which was about a little more than a half hour later, something was different in the air. He could _smell _it … vampire. Even if he remained quiet and unmoving, the bloodsucker was sure to smell him. Jacob knocked open the door and was faced with a hissing female vampire with dark curls.

She held Elena in her hands, who lay very, very still. Was she dead? Was it too late?

Jacob pounced towards the woman who moved out of his reach. He followed her into the darkness, determined to stop her and figure out what she wanted with Elena.

* * *

"He should have been here by now." Bonnie reassured Caroline who had bumped up the sex appeal for her 'date' with Jacob. Her dress looked more like a long, low cut, spandex t-shirt. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry. I'll have fun anyway." Caroline answered with a smile, secretly believing that he ditched them because he wanted nothing to do with her.

"I don't know why he'd do that … I mean Jacob said he was coming." Bonnie complained to Jeremy who had an orange cup in his hands, but she noticed that he hadn't started drinking anything yet.

"If you asked me to go with Caroline, I'd bail too."

"Now that's just mean." She hit him playfully. "Caroline is really just misunderstood."

"No. She's a man eater … and a little clingy."

"You speak like you know. Is there something you should be telling me Jeremy?"

"My lips are sealed." He joked as the two just talked and chilled. Jeremy handed Bonnie the cup, which she started to deny at first but then she decided it would be alright if she had one drink tonight.

"I'm really sorry I brought you here. By the way … this whole scene just _reeks _of Vicky." Bonnie added, her thoughts spewing out a little more freely since her inhibitions had started to disappear.

"It's okay. Really … her loss." Jeremy shrugged, but Bonnie could see the sadness in his eyes. It drew her in and made her want to be there for him.

"Jer, if you ever need to talk--" Bonnie began, placing her hand on his arm lightly. She was used to this role by now and it seemed completely natural.

Jeremy responded by brushing his lips against hers boldly. When he pulled away, Bonnie's mind was racing with how to do damage control. She was not going to cross this line with her best friend's little brother.

"Jer--"

"Don't say anything … I know you're overanalyzing it, but don't." Jeremy proclaimed as Bonnie dropped the cup in her hands once Jeremy cupped her face. His kisses were amazing and she was in no mental space to be able to think logically and stop this.

This was exactly what she needed to get over Jacob's absence. And the consequences would just have to wait.

* * *

Jacob had phased and now was moving strictly on instinct. He knew Elena's smell so well that he could find it with his eyes closed, but what he didn't know was the smell of the vamp that had her. He raced around until he could find Elena, but her scent had completely disappeared … along with the burning smell of the vamp.

He looked around for a couple of more hours before deciding to go to her boyfriend's house. Two heads were better than one.

Jacob phased back to human form, only to remember that he had left his clothes behind somewhere. It didn't matter. He smashed open the door to the place where Stefan lived. He knew where it was because Bonnie had talked about it before.

"Is anyone here?" He screamed, looking around the mansion, trying not to get caught up in how grandiose it was. By now, Jacob was used to the idea that vamps had the riches and werewolves … well, let's just say they were like the struggling middle class. "It's about--"

"I should kill you." Stefan spat out with his hand choking Jacob's neck.

"I'd like to see you try." Jacob pushed him back with unexpected force until Stefan crashed into the back wall. "Before you try anything again … someone's taken Elena and I need your help to find her."

* * *

Bonnie couldn't believe what she was doing. She was kissing Jeremy … little boy Jeremy, Elena's annoying freeloading little brother Jeremy. What was the most surprising to her was that he even wanted to kiss her … than _anyone _did.

God, as pathetic as it was … she hadn't been kissed since freshman year when they'd gone to all those parties and played the stupid spin the bottle and 'Seven minutes in Heaven' game. She had forgotten how good it could be and wondered how Jeremy had become so skilled in this.

"Jeremy." Bonnie whispered once she was able to come up for air. "This is wrong."

"Do you want to keep kissing me?" He wondered as she nodded shyly. "And I've been wanting to kiss you and we're not hurting anyone … don't be so scared. I won't tell anyone." Jeremy joked as Bonnie smiled to herself.

"Good … I mean it is a _little _fun." She kidded back, wrapping her arms around the back of his neck and pressing her lips to the side of his face. Bonnie was going to make herself live in this moment rather than worry about something bad happening. Nothing bad was going to happen.

Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring.

"Ignore it." Jeremy pleaded, kissing Bonnie more vehemently than before.

"Let me see who it is first." Stefan. "I have to take this. It's probably about Elena … Yeah … I'll be there…"

* * *

This was bad. Really bad. Jacob was able to find Elena with the help of a spell from an old _witch_, ironically the same house that he had traced the scent back to. She had been reluctant to help, but without her they would've never tracked down Elena.

And maybe Jacob wouldn't be here now feeling this excruciating pain. The important thing was that he had been able to get Elena back.

Jacob could see the scene flash back in front of him. He lounged towards the vamp, catching her off guard as Stefan aimed for Elena. She turned and hissed, launching her claws at him. The vamp missed the first time.

Jacob sunk his teeth into her side, pinning her as he started to maul her body. The vamp was smarter than that. She rolled around, losing a huge chunk of flesh and then jumped, almost flew into the air, as though nothing had changed. She clawed Jacob from the back, the poison from her blood seeping into his.

Then, she turned his neck into an unnatural position and gave him a quick bite. If she had wanted to, she could've snapped his neck and killed him. Like that. But she wanted to play with him, and make him suffer. And there was no worse pain that this venom in his body.

Panic rushed through Jacob's mind as he thought about what had happened and what he had done … if she had decided to kill him, he wouldn't be dead. Instead, he'd be a human-werewolf-_vampire_. He shuddered at the thought. His slow, agonizing death was more appealing.

"Hold on. I'll bring someone to help you." Stefan mouthed.

"Don't let them know what I am." Jacob muttered so softly that if Stefan wasn't supernatural, he wouldn't have heard a word.

* * *

When Bonnie finally arrived at Stefan's house she was out of it. Jeremy had to drive her over because so much was happening that her mind could barely process anything.

"Where's Elena?" Were the first words out of her mouth.

"Sleeping." Stefan clinched his jaw together. "But I need you to help him first…"

Bonnie's eyes shifted to a naked guy who was lying on the floor in agony. "Oh my … what happened?"

"A vampire. The poison is in his blood and we need you to get it out otherwise … he'll die."

"No pressure." Bonnie exhaled deeply and tried to think about what to do, but her mind was blank. "I don't know … I don't know how to help him."

"You can do this Bonnie. Think." Stefan demanded as she tried to pull it together.

Grams had taught her a spell where she could separate different materials … it seemed stupid at the time, but if she could separate Jacob's blood from the vampire's … she could flush it out of his body somehow? Maybe. She hoped.

Bonnie kneeled next to him and felt the heat radiating from his body. This was good. Vampire's blood was cold … she could separate them that way and then … "I'll have to suck the blood out."

"But it might get into your system." Stefan protested.

"There's no other way. I-I can't think of anything else." Bonnie explained as she hovered over the wound on his neck, flushing all of the cold blood towards the wound. There was so much of it that it started to overflow, but she still had to suck it out.

"I can do this … trust me Stefan." She explained as she started to remove the poison from his system. He heat of his body was almost unbearable, but Bonnie pressed on. She feared that her actions may have been too dilatory because Jacob's breathing slowed down. 'Please don't die on me,' Bonnie begged, still working her magic and praying for a miracle.

* * *

(A/N: I love any reviews and comments that you have to give so keep it coming! --NL)


	7. Come Back to Me

**Chapter Six**: **Come Back to Me**

* * *

"You're free to go." Colette explained to Damon, while staying in the shadows. She didn't want him to see her banged up, but any vampire over the age of three decades would be able to smell the battle on her.

"You've been busy my little bee."

"Very." She smiled. "And I think you'll be very, _very _pleased but for now … I need you to go."

"So soon? And ruin the fun?" Damon probed, making Colette nervous. Did he know what she had done? What she had been planning? Had the human spoken to him?

"Don't mistake my kindness for weakness. I will kill you if you stay here. I'm giving you this chance now-"

"Fine. Fine, I get it. A little caveat … meaning that you've got some diabolical plan in the works. Can't wait to see how it turns out." Damon smiled as she loosed the reigns and he started to leave.

"Don't think for a moment that this is over Damon. I needed you to be with me for a while … to see if I can trust you. When I need you again, you'll know…"

* * *

Bonnie woke with everything looking blurry and with extreme heat on her side. She sat up frightened once she thought about what had happened last night. Jacob … he was _dead_. Instantly she felt sick and started to panic but in the midst of her panic, she was joined by another.

"You're awake." Stefan commented as Bonnie nodded. "You were amazing. You saved him you know."

"What? Wait…I did?" She wondered as Stefan wiped away the remnants of blood on her face and neck.

"Yeah … he's just tired." Stefan explained. "Do you want to…" He motioned towards another part of the house as Bonnie nodded. She knew what he was referring to—Elena.

"Is she okay?"

"Seems so. She's been sleeping for a few hours. She woke up for about two minutes and then went back to sleep, but it seems like Jacob and I got to the vampire just in time before she could … harm Elena."

"What exactly happened last night?"

"You'd have to ask Jacob. He was there from the very beginning."

"See… I told you that you two would make a great team." Bonnie felt the sides of her lips curve up slightly. Everything _seemed _fine, but her instincts were telling her that this wasn't over. "So you killed the vamp?"

"No. She got away." Bingo. It wasn't over.

"Do you think we're safe now?"

"She was wounded pretty badly so … for now." Stefan sighed. "You can go if you want … I don't want you to be here when things start to get crazy again."

"I should probably go but … you'll take care of them, _both _of them, right?"

"Yes. Of course."

"And call me if you need me for anything." Bonnie gave Stefan a quick hug and Jacob a once over before giving Elena a hug in her sleep. When she did so, Bonnie felt a shiver of coldness go through her body. "Call me." She repeated before heading over to Grams to figure this all out.

* * *

Caroline deserved to be ditched last night. Who did she think she was trying to be like the guys and juggle more than one person at a time? She was sitting in her room, still wearing the same dress from last night, and trying to figure this all out.

Why had she agreed to meet Jacob? Was it because she wasn't fulfilled with whatever she and Matt had? Maybe she had just wanted sex and Jacob looked like he'd be good at it? None of it seemed to be right.

"Yo, Caroline." Matt knocked on her room door, breaking her out of the trance.

"Hey. What are you doing here?"

"I got the day off unexpectedly … so do you want to hang out?" He asked, giving her a light kiss on the cheek.

"Matt, what are we doing?"

"What do you mean-"

"Are we going anywhere with this? Am I just your Elena rebound and are you just my bounce back from every other guy who's rejected me?" She ranted.

"I thought we were going to see where this is going."

"And how can we do that if you won't even kiss me, for _real_?"

"Caroline …" Matt sighed. "I don't know what you want me to say."

"Don't worry about it." She answered, changing the mood quickly. "Where do you want to go?"

"Wait. What?"

"Where do you want to go out? Putt-Putt? Laser tag? A movie … my treat."

"You don't have to-"

"I _want _to." Caroline answered. "Just give me a moment to get out of this dress."

* * *

"Where have you been? Elena was almost killed and you weren't there to back me up!" Stefan yelled as soon as his brother came in. His yelling did little to perturb Damon's nonchalant demeanor.

"I thought she was _your _responsibility. And I believe the correct reaction would be, 'You've been MIA for a while older brother. Where have _you _been?'"

"Damon. I don't have time for this. Elena was almost killed-"

"And why is there a _wolf, _a stinky one at that, in our living room?"

"He was back-up since you were too preoccupied to be here." Stefan shot back. "I'm letting him heal here and then he can go back."

"Ouch. Vampire bite." Damon commented, recognizing the smell on the wolf, but neglecting to say anything that would give away Colette. She was the most interesting thing that happened to him since Damon thought that he'd found a way to open the tomb through Emily.

Stefan didn't respond, secretly thrilled that his brother was back and alright. The sad part was that he was so preoccupied with Elena that Stefan hadn't taken the time to look for his brother.

"As much as I love the 'heart to heart' brother thing, I've got better plans." Damon stated, rushing up the stairs.

* * *

Bonnie didn't say anything to Grams, but then again she was always so intuitive that it wasn't necessary. Her fear and uncertainty were so blatantly plastered on her face that anyone would have noticed.

"That's all for today."

"But Grams, we didn't even get started. I wasn't able to transport the candle-"

"Hush child. Your mind is too cluttered. Figure out whatever is bothering you and come back to me later. We'll get through this." She gave Bonnie a light hug before her young descendent fled towards the door. She opened it only to see that Jeremy was waiting there.

"Later Grams!" She called behind her while studying Jeremy carefully and trying to figure out why he had come here.

"I'm not stalking you."

"That's good to know."

"You ran off suddenly last night and didn't come back. I called around to make sure you were okay and then I went to the hospital…" He hinted. "And Elena wasn't there."

"Elena's fine." Bonnie exhaled. "What did you come here for?"

"We got a little interrupted last time. I was hoping that maybe-" He rested his hand on her waist and then kissed her sweetly.

"I can't Jeremy. Not _now_." Bonnie mumbled unable to control her raging thoughts and come off as her normal kind, cheerful self.

"Fine." Jeremy answered coolly. "My mistake." Although she felt guilty, Bonnie allowed him to run off. It was probably for the best. Bonnie had bigger drama to deal with … Elena and Jacob. Now why had they been attacked, again?

* * *

There were a million thoughts that should have been running through Jacob's mind, but the only one that was coherent was a feeling of intense pain. It was as though an entire apartment complex had crushed his body and someone was drilling screws into his head.

"Eh." Jacob groaned, trying to sit up.

"Oh. _You're _up." Damon commented with a drink in his hand. Immediately Jacob was on his guard. "Relax. I won't attack if you won't."

"How did I-"

"Save the whole 'I just woke up and don't remember a thing spew.' I wasn't here. I don't know." Damon answered, eyeing Jacob and wondering what Colette was cooking up. He'd let his scheming little mind endure a short break, at least until he knew what she was doing and was sure that it wouldn't interfere with his plans.

"How's Elena?"

"Oh _God_. Not you too." Damon rolled his eyes referring to the fact that the Katherine-look-alike had yet another admirer. "No wonder why my brother hates you."

"Is she okay? Where is she?" Jacob demanded, standing up forcefully and ready to fight if need be.

"Down the hall and to the left." He responded, backing off a little but neglecting to tell Jacob that Stefan was already in the room. Drama, drama, drama.

* * *

"Elena … come back to me." Stefan whispered in her ear while stroking her hair. If the circumstances were different, he would've taken her back to the hospital but there were some things that modern human medicine just couldn't remedy. And he was afraid that any further movement would harm her.

He had been doing this for the past two days, but Elena hadn't woken up long enough to say anything or hold a conversation. Last night, her fever went up astronomically and Stefan did everything he could to bring her back to where she was now … which was somewhere between **being in dreamland and a coma**.

He decided that the best thing to do would be to remind Elena of who she was, who _he _was, and all of the good memories that had had together. Right now he was in the middle of reminiscing on the time when they first met, by the cemetery when he heard a soft sigh escape her lips.

"Elena."

"Hmmm?" She replied, slowly opening her eyes. When she did so, she was shocked. Seeing Stefan's face that close to hers was like a blast from the past. She couldn't remember seeing him since … It didn't make much sense since the last thing she had been doing was preparing her body for-

"Are you okay Elena?"

"I'm …. Fine…" She blinked a couple of times. Elena? What was going on here and who was she?

"I thought I'd lost you." Stefan explained, relieved hugging her close.

"Don't worry Stefan." She responded with a little twinkle in her eyes. "Everything is going to be just fine." He almost jumped back in surprise at the way she said his name. For one he was surprised that she remembered, but the way the word slid off her mouth … it was just very different from how it usually sounded. And it reminded him a little of someone else.

"Do you remember anything?"

"Only you." She smirked kissing Stefan giddily, with a bubbly and unconcerned energy that caught Stefan off guard. While she was in the process of removing his shirt, subtle movement behind the duo stopped them in their tracks.

"You can come in." Stefan sighed.

"I just wanted to make sure that Elena's okay and since she is … I'll be going."

"I think that's probably best Jacob." Stefan agreed as Elena caught Jacob's eye. He stood there frozen a minute, taken aback by all the secrets and sensuality her face seemed to hold, until she grew disinterested in Jacob and went back to Stefan.

"See you later Jacob." She pressed her lips together, as if she was worried about something, and then he left them alone.

"Are you sure you can-"

"Shh." She giggled. "I want to." Elena pulled Stefan into her, ignoring the nagging sensation of what she thought was _pain_. But it couldn't be because that would mean …. She pushed all these thoughts from her mind. With Stefan Salvatore in the picture, things suddenly got more interesting and she was suddenly less afraid or even concerned about why she here in the front place...

* * *

(A/N: Before you say _anything _I wrote this months ago before the new season started so anything that I write in this story is completely independent of the new episodes, and let me mention that btw I love Katherine being in the picture. I've been MIA on this for about a half a year, but I'm getting back into this again—my balance between personal life, responsibilities, and this is so off, but bear with me. I do have parts of the next 2 chapters already worked out! Luv. –NL)


	8. Feel My Love

****

**Chapter Seven: Feel My Love**

**

* * *

**

"Did Elena come back reincarnated with the sex drive of a rabbit?" Damon teased his brotherly openly the next day.

"Haven't you heard of privacy?"

"It's not like you're being the least bit quiet." Damon chided.

"You can hear from miles away."

"Technicalities my little brother. So … is she open to seeing new visitors or do you plan on keeping her hostage in your bedroom forever?" He wondered.

"No. Go ahead." Stefan shrugged, deciding that it would be best to make her something to eat. Elena had to be starving. "I'll be out for a little bit, but I'm coming back. Don't do anything … Damon-like okay?"

"I'll be the perfect gentleman." Damon bowed and moved aside for his brother to walk past him. When he could no longer sense Stefan's presence, Damon walked into the room where Elena was.

He wouldn't actually admit to anyone that he cared an ounce about what happened to her because he wasn't bothered enough for it to matter. If she died, it would be unfortunate but since she was alive, there was no need to think about that.

"How's my favorite human?" He wondered, faced with her back at first.

"Fine. How are-" Elena's voice stopped as though her vocal chords had been cut. "Damon?" She questioned, narrowing her eyes in disbelief. "What are you doing here?"

"Someone's grumpy today." His eyebrows rose slightly. "I guess you were hoping that my disappearance meant that someone killed me. Surprise! I don't die that easily." He whispered the last part as though it were a secret.

"How long have you-"

"Don't tell me you don't remember anything? Okay … this is boring." He turned to leave.

"Wait. Don't." Elena practically ran over to him. " … Show me around?"

"Do you mean like a tour? Come on Elena, that's what your boyfriend is for."

"I'd like _you_ to take me. Stefan's been the only one that I've been around, but I want to know everything and about everyone." She explained.

"Okay, first we've got to get you something else to wear because that … it smells like a wet dog." Damon complained. "And my brother." He shook his body as though the thought grossed him out.

"But I don't have anything-"

"Easy. We'll go to your house, say our 'hellos' and then leave."

"What if I don't remember who they are?"

"Fine. I'll pick out something for you. Happy?" Elena nodded.

"Very."

* * *

So no one was there when Bonnie rang the doorbell at the Salvatore house, which told her that Elena was up and running and Jacob too. It also probably meant that they were hanging out at the Gilbert house. This was a disaster waiting to happen, but Elena was her best friend. Bonnie had to see her.

And she had to talk to Jacob about the whole thing. And then she should probably figure out if Jeremy was ever going to speak to her again.

Bonnie opened the door to the Gilbert house with the key Elena had given her a couple of years ago, in case of an emergency. "Is anyone home?" She yelled into the empty kitchen, which looked like one huge vampire trap.

Everyone was probably upstairs, so she took her chances and headed for Elena's room … but Jeremy's room was on the way so she gathered her bearings and knocked on the door. "Jer … it's-"

"What do you want?" He opened the door rapidly, standing in the doorway with one arm perched on the door frame.

"I want to talk to you. About your sister and … everything else."

"I've got nothing to say to you."

"Well I do Jer. I'm so sorry that I ditched you like that, but your sister needed my help. She's … fine now … but you have to understand where I'm coming from."

"And is that the place where you're more worried about your image than my feelings?"

"Jeremy … I didn't come here to talk about that."

"I've been crushing on you since we were kids Bonnie." He blurted out, ignoring her previous statement completely.

"What? That doesn't make any sense…"

"It's true." Jeremy began. "Do you realize that you were the only one of our friends who really got it… who stayed around and knew what to do and what to say when our parents died? Everyone else avoided us or gave us space when all we needed was someone to do exactly what you did." Tears formed in his eyes since he was once again thinking about his lost parents.

"They were like family to me too." By now Bonnie couldn't kept her distance from him and she hugged him tightly, stroking his hair lightly. Jeremy collapsed as though he had been holding all of this in for way too long, allowing his tears to fall freely now. "If you ever need to talk, I'm here." She promised. "Look at me. Tell me you'll talk to me."

"I promise." Jeremy stroked the side of her face, as she had been doing earlier to console him, and kissed her softly. Bonnie held her ground and didn't back away but as the kisses grew longer and stronger, she had the stinging sensation that she was betraying someone … herself.

* * *

The last thing that she remembered was … well it's weird. She felt like there was more than one part to herself, more than two parts even and now for the first time she was aware of how unconnected she was with herself. There was one part of her that remembered everything about Stefan and sharing his secret, Bonnie being a witch … all of this and then her mind shifted to another side of her where she could only remember feeling so disconnected to both of them, and feeling close to Jacob.

And she supposed that now would be the second part of herself where … she woke up, from what seemed like a black-out, only to find her teeth digging into the flesh of a lanky guy who was completely drawn to her. If she was in her right mind, she'd be really freaked out and confused.

But what she was doing _didn't _gross Elena out because it was her natural inclination to perform such an act. The blood called to her with a greater pull than anything she'd ever known … like a great hunger, hangover and what all happening at the same time.

This was one situation where she wasn't able to be strong and deny herself. The reality wasn't enough to scare her away because she was acting all on instinct. But why would she, _Elena Glibert _have any want of blood?

* * *

Bonnie had no shame, absolutely none or any type of consideration for Jacob's feelings. That would be the only reason to explain why he saw her with Jeremy, on the floor and making out. It was sick and disgusting. How did Jacob keep ending up in these situations? First, with Bella, then Elena and now Bonnie … and all within such a short timeframe.

He was truly thinking about what Leah had said, about his place being at La Push. Maybe it was time for Jacob to come back. He'd had his time to think and reflect and it had brought him back at square one. In the midst of his thoughts, Jacob stopped once he heard footsteps.

"Who's there?"

"It's me." Bonnie appeared in the frame of the door, looking so put together that he'd thought he'd just imagined she and Jeremy together a few hours ago.

"So, what do you want …." Jacob began, knowing that this was no way to thank the girl who had saved his life.

"I want to see how you're feeling. Are you okay?" Bonnie moved until she was within inches of him. "Do you hurt at all?"He reached up to touch the side of his neck, where the bite mark had once been.

"No. I'm fine." Jacob pulled away from her as though she were poison.

"What's with the attitude? What did I do to you …Wait… is it because I'm a witch? Do you feel betrayed …" She shook her head accusingly. "It's not like you were too willing to tell me that you can transform into a wolf at will."

"How did you-"

"My Grams." Bonnie narrowed her eyes at me. "Don't go being a hypocrite about this. I'm just trying to be a friend to you Jacob."

"You like being friends with everyone, don't you?"

"I care about people, yes."

"Free love, right?"

"Where are you getting at? I _saved _your life. What do you want from me?" Bonnie looked so real and genuine that he wanted to believe whatever she said, even if she was acting hypocritical. Whatever she was doing made him feel like he had gone too far. He was practically accusing her of being a nympho, in not so many words.

"Nothing. It doesn't matter what you say to me now because I'm leaving."

"But I don't want you to go." She yelled back a little too eagerly. "What I mean is … it's the middle of the semester. Don't throw everything away." Bonnie begged. Had it been anyone else who asked this of him, Jacob would have ignored them and kept going.

But Bonnie … she had changed part of him. And he knew that she didn't deserve to be walked out on.

"I'll be back." Jacob promised, placing his hand on her shoulder for a moment and looking at her with all honesty. He just moved too slowly and Jeremy got her, not her fault. It was Jacob's fault … he'd be back at La Push soon enough.

* * *

"So you live with your brother?" Elena asked Damon who was acting very strangely.

"Yes. I keep an eye on him once in a while."

"Then can I ask you something? Can I trust you Damon?" She narrowed her eyes, giving off an intensity that was more flirtatious than friendly.

That's still to be decided, but what is it that you want to ask me that you can't ask Stefan?"

"Has he ever loved anyone the way he loves me-"

"I know what this is about." Damon smirked, amused at the brewing drama in the air. "You want to know if he's still caught up over that girl who happens to look exactly like you. Katherine." Damon hissed. "Now she was a live one. Got in between two brothers."

"So he did love her?"

"That's an understatement. Stefan worshipped her. She was his first love_, _unforgettable, irreplaceable-"

"But does he still love her or me?" Elena asked eagerly with a twinge of playfulness in her eye.

"That, you'll have to ask him but let me tell you … I make an excellent consolation prize."

"I guess some things don't change." Elena mumbled under her breath taking in the scents of her hometown all over again. The air was fresh, the sun was bright and there was just so much life. Perfect.

"I would say, 'huh,' but you know I heard that."

"I know." She smiled looking at Damon through brand new eyes, something that he could sense as well. It gave him a little inkling that Elena was much more different than before but all too familiar.

* * *

Fighting against the urge to find the next source of blood and drain it dry, Elena instead felt herself feeling more human. And feeling more human meant that she was feeling even more disgusted with herself and all she wanted to do was wash the blood away from her mouth, her body.

But washing wouldn't absolve her of what she'd just done.

She'd murdered someone and didn't even remember how it got to that point or how she ended up here. Where was here?

"You're a difficult one to find but not impossible."

Elena squinted at her, but didn't recognize her …

"Oh don't look so surprised _sister_. I haven't come to you about _that_, but I do need your help."

"With what?"

"Oh Katherine, it's something you'll like … you'll see."

* * *

(A/N: I wrote this probably four months ago, but now it's finally up. I'll probably shorten this story and change the idea of it since the interest has been so low. If I start any new stories, they'll probably be the _Secret Life. _Check out my other stories, especially _After the Hurricane _which is best Twi fic I've done and _Boys with Girlfriends _

which has all of my Vampire Diaries-Twilight Crossovers. Luv and Review. –NL)


	9. Love the Way You Lie

**Chapter Nine: Love the Way You Lie **

* * *

Jacob was leaving with just the clothing on his back. It felt wrong to take anything else. It would make it easier to forget. He was already halfway to Forks, he could even hear Leah clearer than she'd been in a long time.

_Couldn't wait until I got there to invade my thoughts?_

_'They're boring as hell anyway. Glad you're back great Alpha.'_

_'Don't start with that Leah.'_

_'It's true. You were born to lead.' _

_'What's going on? Did something happen with Bella?'_

_'Bella, Bella. There's a world outside of Bella. The bloodsucker is fine but making it much harder for us to handle things around here_.'

'_Meaning?'_

_'Don't look to me to spoil the surprise, but let's just say you're on the list.'_

_'What list?'_

_'The Vamp that's after Bella is also after everyone she loves, which includes you. I hope you're prepared for a hell of a fight.' _

* * *

Elena had always wanted a sister, but not like this … not someone whose aura breathed only one thing, evil. All she could think about was how to escape her, so that she could get back to Mystic Falls.

"Eat up sis. We've got a lot of work to do." She smiled, revealing a blood-rimmed mouth and tossing a half-paralyzed person to Elena.

A mixture of guilt, fear and desire plagued Elena as she thought to herself that her face was the last one this person would see. You see she knew that no matter how much she tried to dismiss it, her hunger was complete insatiable and it controlled her.

"We meet them tomorrow."

"Who's _them_?"

"The wolves of course. Once we get through them, then we can start on my list." The red-haired woman passed random items onto Elena, each having a distinct smell—either a wet dog or like one of them.

"This is your hit list?"

"My _God _Katherina." She replied in an inhumanly even and harmonious voice, "What happened to you? Don't you get that they're the ones that will bring Klaus and the Vulturi? Or have you forgotten?"

Elena tried to look fearful, but she was pretty sure that she'd never heard of the Vulturi or that other guy.

* * *

Leah's words resonated with Jacob as his pace slowed and his feet sunk into the soft ground that he knew so well. He was back.

"Took you long enough runaway." Leah commented, leaning against the side of a tree, as though she knew exactly where Jacob was going to stop first when he arrived.

"I wouldn't go in there if I were you. That baby they have is a freak of nature and remember… they can hear everything you're thinking, probably even now."

Jacob gave one last longing look at the Cullen's place before turning away and walking through the woods with Leah.

"No hug?"

"Wouldn't want Sam to get jealous." Leah answered back cleverly.

"You mean-"

"He still treats me like I'm mud. But before you ask the boring details about us here, what brought you back?"

"You guys need me."

"We can manage. Did you come here to protect whatever new girl you're in?" Leah asked and Jacob was convinced that she'd figured out a way to read this thoughts when they were in human form. "Before you ask Jake, yes you are that transparent."

"I didn't fall in love."

"Did you at least tell her or wait until another guy came along and-" He gave her a sharp look.

"Damn. Tough luck." The two made it to The Clearwater's place, running into Seth first who helped him to refocus on being back in Forks. Jacob would not think of Bonnie.

* * *

It was so hard for Bonnie not to think about Jacob and wonder if she was the one that had done something wrong, if this whole entire thing was somehow her fault.

"Are you okay?" Jeremy asked, opening the door and letting her in.

"Fine." She gave him a genuine smile as Jeremy brushed his lips against her. Bonnie tried not to pull away even though she hadn't told Elena yet. And … what was she going to say, 'I think I like someone else, but I'm seeing your brother so he won't go off the deep end?' "I haven't told Elena yet." She responded, to stop him from kissing her again.

"She's upstairs, here for once. Getting some stuff."

"Good." Bonnie rushed up the stairs and burst in, surprised to see Damon _and _Elena there. "Can I have a moment with my best friend?"

"Leaving now witch." Damon responded, lingering a little longer than necessary.

"Elena, I've been looking all over for you. Are you okay?" She hugged her friend.

"I'm fine. Just picking out stuff to take over to Stefan's."

"So you're really leaving?"

"Yep. That's the plan." Elena responded, looking completely disinterested in Bonnie.

"What about our sleepovers with Caroline-"

"We can still have them girlie. Don't worry." She answered cheerfully. _Girlie? _

"Damon and Stefan can hear everything. There won't be a private moment. And Damon … you know that I hate him."

"Then we'll go to your house OR … Carol's. No big deal." _Carol_?

"Want to go have a Girl's Night tonight? I can help you pack and-"

"I'm actually having a Boy's Night with Damon."

"O-kay." Bonnie answered quietly. "What about a movie or something next week? That movie with Diana Ross's son is in it … _Mooz-lum_ or something like that. Or we could see _Sucker Punch._"

Elena giggled. "Why the hell would I want to see that?" She turned to Bonnie, playing with her hair as if flirting. "I'm still adjusting to the whole thing Bonnie. I can barely remember who I am, let alone everyone around me. But … when I'm feeling better, I'll call. Right now, Stefan and Damon are taking good care of me."

"Sure." Bonnie sniffed and exiting the room quietly. She could feel Damon smirking at her only, he wasn't anywhere to be found. And soon, Elena would go back to being MIA too. It didn't seem to make any sense to mention her and Jeremy, since Bonnie could tell that new Elena didn't give a damn.

* * *

"See my little army? Nice isn't it?" The sister asked Elena, but somehow Elena still didn't catch her name. She did know that she needed to figure a way out of this. "Do not back down. FIGHT!" The sister yelled as a swarm of vampires ran in one direction with a smaller group of vampires and wolves ran towards them.

"So what now?" Elena asked.

"That one right there … he's yours." She pushed Elena in the direction of a gray wolf and there was only two things that she could do—fight and pray that somehow she made it out alive.

As she charged towards the gray wolf, she dodged other bodies along the way, giving plenty of blows but taking very few. The wolf turned to her and pounced and Elena glided under his body, giving him one hit. She sighed in relief thinking that she could do this. By this, she meant make it out alive.

* * *

Jacob was so busy catching up with Leah , goofing off and making fun of her that they had missed the meeting, and the memo. But he could feel something was wrong.

"What's happening?"

"Nothing that you need to be concerned about." Leah answered, looking at him boldly. One minute she was calling him Alpha, doing whatever he said, and the next she was withholding information.

"Leah, tell me." He restrained himself from grabbing her shoulders and shaking her until she told the truth.

"They're fighting over some bullshit and I don't want you involved."

"I can help. You know I'm the best-"

"_Second _best." She sighed. "But this time, that vamp chick had a vision where you died in this battle. I didn't want you to even be here. You're too important to lose."

"That's my family out there, my _pack_. I can't sit back like a coward." I argued back. "Where are they?"

"Check your pride at the door. Your life is more important." Leah blocked his way, willing to fight him, if necessary, to protect Jacob.

"If you don't tell me, I'll find out anyway … the question is do you want Seth to be a casualty over me?" He challenged back.

Leah pressed her lips together, but then took off with Jacob following. When they went to the field, all chaos broke loose and there were "people" fighting all over. "I'll watch your back. Try not to die and protect Seth." She finally spoke.

The two forced their own path as Jacob headed for Seth. Leah had gotten caught in a fight and between two vampires, she couldn't protect Jacob. He was too far away.

Jacob charged at the vampire, who was about to give a near-fatal blow to Seth, knocking her down and pinning her in her place. He was about to take a bite out of her neck when she turned her head and beautiful waves of hair revealed her face.

_Elena? What the hell_.

_Who's Elena? _Seth wondered.

_Go protect Leah. She's … this girl I know from Virginia and the last time I saw her, she was human. _

As Seth trotted away, Jacob knew he had to take action. He flung Elena out of the clearing and he dashed after, changing back to human form. He saw her start to charge him, and then stop.

"Jake?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I don't know … but I'm trying to get back home." She answered, truthfully looking terrified.

"Follow the woods and take a left when you get to the stream. Keep going. You'll see a small house on the corner. That's mine. Wait for me."

"Jake … I don't understand."

"Go." He demanded, changing back into the wolf man and obliterating anyone who threatened his pack and even pain-in-the-ass Leah.

* * *

"That was a little mean." Damon answered once he had all of Elena's things in his hands.

"She'll toughen up. It'll do her some good." Katherine answered, giving Damon a flirty look, unless all of his fantasies about Elena were finally coming true.

"You really don't realize that she is your closest friend, do you? "

"I don't know her from the guy down the street." Katherine answered. "Besides, I've got you and Stefan. I'm safe. I have all I need."

"So, you want to just take this home and spend the night in?" He wondered, still trying to figure this thing out.

"Of course not." She giggled in that eerily familiar way. "We should go have fun tonight Damon." She lightly touched his back in a way that Elena wouldn't, letting her hand linger there for a little while. "It'll be fun." Katherine urged, full on flirting and suggesting other things with her expression.

"I'm in." Damon responded, not letting on that he was going to find out why Elena was more like Katherine than herself.

* * *

Elena told everything that she knew to Jacob, but there was one big puzzle piece missing. She was tired, and worn from the battle but he knew where he really needed to be was back in Mystic Falls.

"So she told you that's where you're headed next?"

"There are a few other stops, but Mystic Falls is the final destination." Elena looked scared.

"Then we've got to get back and tell everyone so we can prepare to fight."

"And maybe we can get me out of this body." She offered.

"That might be the safest place for you right now." He responded, taking a couple of changes of clothing and getting ready for the journey. "You should probably go on a hunt with the Cullens before leaving. Wouldn't want you to kill a human."

* * *

Yes, Bonnie Bennett was walking down the hallway and yes, Jeremy was with her, fingertips on hers, so close to holding... But what could she do? Say _no_? Say that she was willing to talk to him about his parents' death but she wasn't going to let it go further than that? She might as well pull the trigger herself.

Plus, now with Jacob gone there really wasn't a legitimate reason not to. New Elena didn't care. And if Old Elena ever came back … she would get over it with time.

But they weren't exclusive and hadn't talked about any sort of title. They were just Bonnie and Jeremy walking down the hall together. _And holding hands_, she reminded herself.

"You're the best thing to happen to me." Jeremy whispered in her ear.

"But nothing's happened." Bonnie answered innocently, ignoring the looks and stares that she was getting. Of course people would talk. Bonnie wasn't used to this since it was more of Elena's scene. She was the interesting one and people talked about Caroline for similar reasons. Bonnie was just kind, normal, simple. Nice.

And now that she was holding Jeremy's hand she was suddenly the center of the universe which made her severely anxious.

"Now tell me what I have to do to make that change?" He wondered, stopping as they reached her locker.

"Let's just … see where it goes." Bonnie offered, not wanting to suggest something that was doomed before it started.

"Okay." He agreed, kissing her hand before embracing her. When there was space between them once again, Jeremy wasted no time in reminding Bonnie about how he felt. "I can hang with that."

She could feel his lips caress hers so sweetly that she almost got wrapped into the moment, until she realized everyone was watching. As kindly as she could, Bonnie unraveled herself and held him tightly to her. "That's not going to sway me." She whispered, smiling from the magic of it all.

And there was only one sight that was able to rip the joy from her heart—Jacob. Bonnie had somehow thought that she'd never see him again.

But now, Jacob was here, back, _whatever_. And he had seen, no doubt he saw them kiss. And now, he was walking right past them without a word.

Bonnie knew that if she left now, she'd have some major explaining to do to Jeremy, but she couldn't risk losing Jacob. Not until she found out why he'd come back after over weeks of absence.

"I'll catch you after school?" She offered, forgetting her books and rushing off to find out what was going on with Jacob.

* * *

"Playing hooky to spend the day with me. Nice." Damon joked as Katherine smiled back at him. She had been acting a certain way this entire time to see how people would react, to find out things that they'd never out-right tell her.

One thing that was undeniable was that Damon was in love with her. With _Elena_. _Perfect_.

"Where do you want to take me?" Being a human required charm and coquettishness and all this effort for everything. It was so exhausting.

"Where do you want to go?"

"You know what I want to do." Katherine said in the most ambiguous way, but with a smile that made it obvious that she was flirting. Damon gave her that look back. He so wanted her. "But I'd never do anything to hurt Stefan. You know that so get your mind out of the gutter."

"Why aren't you in school with him then?"

"You're a lot more fun." She shot back, seeing just how far she had to push him until Damon did what she wanted. Katherine needed to have control over him, to have him do whatever she wanted.

"Alright Elena, what is it that you want?" Damon inquired, his face inches from hers, knowing who he was dealing with. Elena was gone. Katherine was here, but he couldn't let on that he knew until he knew Elena was safe.

"You are so hot." She smirked, moving towards him as though she were going to kiss him, and then pulling away at the last moment. "Now get out so that I can get naked."

* * *

"Jacob. Jake!" Bonnie yelled running as fast as her shoescould take her. Sure, they were flats but backless and completely easy to lose or fall out of. Whether or not he heard her, Bonnie couldn't tell, since he kept taking short confident, yet stiff strides forward.

"Please, wait up!"She yelledeven louder until she finally caught up with him. "You're back?" By then, she was close enough to know that Jacob _had _heard her, but decided not to respond.

"Glad you're here." She ignored his coldness, hugging him from behind which jolted his swagger into a pause. Not even a stop. His jaw remained clamped shut and Bonnie could see the tension around his mouth. He was angry.

"Aren't you going to say something?"

"What do you want me to say?" He broke the silence, unable to keep things bottled in.

"For one, I'd like you to look at me. I want to see your face." Jacob refused to turn so Bonnie stood in front of him, making him confront her. Even though the atmosphere was not befitting, she smiled and hugged him again. "Couldn't stay away?"

"I'm going back. I forgot a couple of things." He remained motionless throughout the hug, even though his feelings about Bonnie hadn't changed. He was just pissed off that she took it there with Jeremy.

"I don't believe you." Bonnie answered back feeling like this reaction had to do with Jeremy. "Do you have a moment … can you just talk to me?"

"Isn't that what we're doing now?"

"Not in the hallway. A room?" She suggested. They found an empty classroom and Bonnie sat down, Jacob moving to the other side of the room. _Seriously_?

"So you have the floor, now talk?"

"What is with the hostility dude? I don't want to play this same tune but I _saved _you. I saved your life and then you run away and then show up and act like I did something to you. What did I do? I'll fix it. Whatever it is, I'm sorry. " She added softly. Always the pacifier.

"I don't want to-"

"Please." Bonnie moved to sit directly across from Jacob, which made it hard for him to ignore her.

"You really want to know? I leave town for a little while. A couple of weeks and you've got a new boyfriend."

"With Jeremy it's not like that. We're … dating, kind of but we've made no promises to each other. No exclusivity and … why is this your problem?"

"The fact that you even have to ask that infuriates me." Jacob growled feeling a transformation about to take place. He was just so hurt, and angry and feeling like he made the wrong decision. He just should've let Stefan and Damon handle the business down here. And Elena could fend for herself too now. He should've stayed with his pack, with pain-in-the-ass Leah and his family. Yet, here he was. It made no sense.

"Jacob. Jake … calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down damn it!" He could feel his shirt getting smaller, his breath getting faster and shorter.

"Okay. Just listen to me." Now Bonnie had moved closer to him.

"Don't. Get out of here before I hurt you."

"You won't hurt me." Bonnie answered confidently, placing both hands around the sides of his face, tears brimming around her eyes, but she didn't look fearful. "You can control it. Just look at me and talk to me about it. Are you mad that it's Jeremy in particular or if it were any guy?"

Jacob groaned.

"Well?"

"Any guy."

"Okay. You're being honest. My next question … Why did you come back?"

"For you."

"What?" Bonnie looked confused as Jacob has calmed down enough not to need her.

"A group of vampires … they're coming down to Mystic Falls and I think it's something big. I had to warn everyone and protect you."

"But why?" Bonnie probed again.

Jacob didn't want to answer this question, he _couldn't _answer it. "I've got it under control. Thanks." He breathed, looking down and Bonnie's hands slowly slid down by her sides. She had never experienced anything like that before, never had the power to channel someone's emotions like that.

"So, we're okay?" She confirmed, letting her fingertips find his until she had grasped both of his hands.

"We're good." He promised, thinking it was the wrong time to spill the beans about Elena. Not here. Not yet. He didn't want to spoil this.

"Good." Bonnie pressed her lips together, her heart rate accelerating and her mind telling her that this is what it should feel like. There were no feelings of betrayal with Jacob only … butterflies. "Don't ever leave without telling me what's going on again." She answered back, letting go of his hands only to give him a warm embrace.

* * *

(A/N: I think I wrote about a thousand pages to this chapter so I'll stop here. I will finish this one, even if I'm the only one who thinks Bonnie and Jacob are awesome together! Luv and Review. –NL)

* * *

**Shameless promotion**: If you're liking this, check out _After the Hurricane _(Twilight: Leah uses Jacob to try and get over Sam)_, This is My Reality _(Roswell: Max struggles between his destiny and his love for Liz)_, _and _Boys With Girlfriends_ (Twilight/Vampire Diaries: mini-stories Leah, Bonnie, Damon, and Jacob) all by me. :)


	10. Stranger in My House

**Chapter Ten: Stranger in My House **

* * *

"What kind of cool things can you do … with your power, I mean?" Bonnie wondered, sneaking away from Jeremy to talk to Jacob about this supernatural stuff. Being in a room alone with him, even if it was just the living room, was making her feel a little trapped.

"You mean you want to see me phase."

"Does it hurt?"

"Sometimes." He answered truthfully. "But it's not about me. It's about protecting everyone else."

"So do you like … just channel it and visualize it or-"

"No. I have to hold onto a strong emotion. Sometimes I get really angry or just think about someone." His eyes lingered over Bonnie. It almost turned into a stare as he said, "Anything that makes me passionate will do."

"So I guess you _can_ control it then."

"Sometimes." Jacob watched as Bonnie pressed her lips together. He was thinking about them in that moment and how much he wanted to touch her.

"Can I … see you phase? I know it's asking a lot but-"

"Naked."

"What?" Bonnie wondered, as the image of him in the Salvatore house floated into her mind.

" We have to be naked otherwise, everything gets destroyed in the phase" He whispered, "which is why you found me at … the Salvatore house like that."

"Forget I asked." Bonnie gave him a small smile and then stood up to leave the room. This cross-legged thing didn't work too well with both of them in the Gilbert's guest room. Jacob was huge and his knee was practically banging into hers the whole time. She didn't mind the lingering periods of their skin making contact but it would be precarious if Jeremy walked in.

"Let me ask you something about being a witch."

"I can't bring people back from the dead." She answered automatically.

"Good to know but … not my question." Jacob stood up to face Bonnie but instead he towered over her. She bit her lip, wondering what he would say. "Can you … channel my emotions? Like you did before?"

"I never-"

"You did. I was out of control Bonnie. I was about to phase in front of you and you could've died. I need to know what you did … to see if you can do it again, on call in case … I lose it."

"Well, I'm not sure-" She began, frozen in place on her feet.

"Try." Jacob grabbed her hands and placed them on his bare chest. She didn't do that last time, but it seemed like the right thing to do to make it work faster.

"So you want me to calm you down? You're already-"

"I want to see if you can tap into what I'm feeling and then … make it die down."

"Okay…" Bonnie tried to concentrate on Jacob and not herself. If she had been listening to her own feelings, she would only be able to hear her heart rate going crazy, adrenaline pumping so much that her ears vibrated, and her mind taking her to make-believe places where she acted on what she felt for Jacob, which was pretty innocent at this point.

As she tuned these feelings out, she focused on Jacob. She felt his loneliness, his anticipation, his … fear. His emotions were going around in circles, in different directions where she couldn't hold onto just one. He felt so much but … there was one emotion that resonated, that stayed with him.

Bonnie gravitated towards that and in her mind saw … so much passion and intensity. She could see how big his heart was and how much he'd do anything for his family, his community even … her. Bonnie gasped, feeling herself unable to control him like she wanted to.

He was controlling her.

Bonnie could see all of the moments he'd had in his life that had been filled with love—his friendship with Quil,the bond with his father, his best friend Bella … it was just endless.

Bonnie found herself getting closer and closer to Jacob, the warmth of his skin feelings too far away. All of the feelings she thought she had for him were itching, dying to get out in one moment. And she knew exactly how to release them. She focused completely on his mouth, noticing how full his lips were, how soft they looked. She could taste his breath. It reeked of kryptonite.

But there was another part of her that she still controlled. Reluctantly, Bonnie dropped her hands from his chest before it went any farther. It was bad enough that she honestly preferred him to Jeremy, but to _cheat _was a low in and of itself.

"I should go." She whispered, looking at the ground.

"I think you should stay." Jacob answered back, feeling more connected to her than ever.

"I'll see you around, okay?" Bonnie gave him a half-hearted hug and turned around without looking back. Bonnie seemed as calm as ever but if you sat really still, you could hear what sounded like a small rapidly beating drum, whose rhythm hadn't slowed even though the danger had passed.

* * *

Jacob had made Elena promise to stay away, but she had to know what was going on. She had to find out why Stefan and Damon had never come to find her. Watching from outside the Salvatore house wasn't working too well. There were too many rooms … too many places for them to possibly be, which made it a perfect place for her to hide.

The only trouble was that when she went to go in from the side, there was a barrier holding her back, which didn't make any sense since no one in that house was from the land of the living.

"You keep finding ways to get rid of Stefan." Elena distinctly heard Damon's voice and she peered in, able to see clearly without any issue.

"It's only to get more time alone with you." A feminine voice answered. Elena did a double take, first because of the voice and secondly because of who she was. A twin, or at least someone who looked exactly like Elena.

"Now you're just teasing me."

"Always." She answered back, giggling, but not pulling away when Damon's face was within inches of hers. When he stopped getting closer she added, "Who's the tease now? I know you want to kiss me."

"Stefan."

"It never stopped you before, but I understand." The look-alike started to walk away, until Damon rushed in front of her and she smiled.

Damon kissed her suddenly, as he had longed to do, not really knowing if it were Elena or Katherine, but dead-set on finding out. She didn't flinch and her way of kissing was familiar. Even as a human, Katherine still found a way to control the men around her.

"Don't stop now." She challenged, backing him against the wall as the two started to make out. Elena felt her anger begin to rise and she wanted to get to the bottom of this and like … now. Someone was out there playing with her life, and she didn't like it.

Just as she was about to make a power move, she saw that Stefan returned home. Elena rushed over to him, completely not thinking.

"Stefan. I'm so sorry." She started. Under his dark eyebrows, she could see that he couldn't believe what he saw, at first. There was silence.

And then he spoke. "Katherine." His eyes looked cinched in, like someone had glued the beginnings of his eyelids together.

Elena wanted to hug him and tell him that she understood why he hadn't explained this Katherine person to him that night … and then she'd run off stupidly. But she was guessing it was probably safe that no one knew she was here.

"Pretend you didn't see me." She explained, forcing herself to walk away and wondering if there was an 'off switch' to what she was feeling because this was complete torture.

"What are you doing here? How are you even alive?"

Elena looked down and tried to think of a good lie. She had to find a way to be convincing while revealing absolutely nothing. "This is a conversation that I'd prefer to have with Damon except … he's a little busy at the moment."

"What do you mean?"

"Open your eyes Stefan. Things aren't what you think. I'm not who you think I am."

"Katherine don't even-" He started, but she cut him off.

"I love you too." Elena pressed her lips together, knowing that going any farther would jeopardize her future, and she might just be stuck in this body as Katherine.

"Katherine, just to be clear… I don't love you anymore." He responded back. Elena felt her 'off switch' turning back on at the sound of those words. She was going to start bawling any second. How did he not know that the girl in their house wasn't her? How could Stefan not know the difference when he kissed her? She wondered if they'd ever slept together and it tore her to pieces.

"Fine but please don't say anything to Damon … not just yet." Elena managed to plea, rushing off before Stefan could see a tear, or in her case a small lake because she didn't know how she'd ever manage to stop this feeling.

* * *

While thoroughly enjoying his mini-corruption of Elena, Damon knew better. He had never kissed Elena, regrettably, but he knew Katherine's mouth like his own. And the lips that he had kissed definitely belonged to a woman, hundreds of years his senior.

What he didn't get was how it was possible to transfer what essentially is a soulless thing, into Elena's body. While posing minor issues, this was what Damon had been looking for when he'd come back to Mystic Falls. The pangs of knowing that she was gone haunted him until one day he realized that it was possible that she could be alive.

That's what had kept him here all of these years, and now he had her again. Only … not.

"What's on your mind?" Stefan wondered, barging into the house like something heavy was on his shoulders. But then again that was Stefan all day, all the time.

"I'm not scheming up a nefarious plan just yet little bro." Damon responded, taking a sip from his glass of wine calmly.Everything appeared to be fine, but Damon's mind was racing. He had Katherine back, and he was in the position of power, something he always wanted.

So why would he even want it to go back to the way it was before? Maybe he didn't have to do anything or say a word. And if Katherine was human, chances are Elena was okay somewhere.

"Is there something you want to tell me?"

"Chill out little bro. Trust me." Damon gave him a convincing smile and was then reminded that even in this scenario he would still have to share Katherine with Stefan.

* * *

"I was wondering when you'd come back to pay me a visit." Colette greeted Damon before he had a chance to gather his bearings.

"How is it that-"

"I survived a toxic bite from a werewolf? He took a big bite out of me but … You can't kill your own kind so easily." She responded back.

"What do you mean?"

"I died with your blood in my system Damon, but I'd also been biten by a werewolf so you do the math."

"Hybrids don't exist. What's going on here Colette?"

"I thought you came here to find answers. Seems like, you don't want to get the truth from me but you'll see what's going on … in the end." She smiled at him, cold and controlled. "But be careful which side you play on Damon. I'd hate to hurt you, but I won't hesitate if you do a little too much meddling." She warned, rushing off before she could be further interrogated.

Somehow, Damon knew it was all connected to his recently returned Katherine, whom he didn't want to give up on so easily.

* * *

"Where is that sister of yours?" Riley asked Victoria who had moved their plan of attack away from Forks, Washington. What had happened wasn't a complete … failure, but they were left with less than half of those they started with. And the human had escaped.

"She's waiting for me in Mystic Falls." Victoria covered. "But I don't take kindly to anyone questioning me."

"I'm not … doubting you. I'm trying to figure out how this is going to work. We're operating at less than 50%."

"Oh yee of little faith … This army was just _one _of the many I've set-up. We'll stop to pick them up along the way and then we'll need to get to Mystic Falls-"

"Why there … if you don't mind me asking?"

"I've got family to protect and … a deal that needs to be made. Now that the Vulturi have been notified, we don't have much time. And who we have now is … fine. We've kept the better half."

* * *

(A/N: I'm trying to mix some of the things with Twilight and The TV version of the Vampire Diaries. Not that anyone is reading besides me, but I'm determined to finish because I want to. So, if you are reading this, just shoot me a quick response. Love! –NL)


	11. I Bet You Look Good in Your Underwear

**Chapter Eleven: I Bet You Look Good, Good, Good in Your Underwear**

* * *

"The only reason that I'm doing this is so that you realize how dangerous I am and how quickly and easily you can get hurt if I don't learn to control this. Or if you don't learn to handle me." Jacob warned, sliding his shirt over his head and handing it to Bonnie, who immediately began to fold it.

He continued undressing, handing her his jeans that still felt warm to the touch. Bonnie tried to stay focused and not think about the fact that he was standing in front of her practically naked. It would be an understatement to say that she was overwhelmed with feelings of desire for him. She tried to keep it under control, since she suspected that Jacob had heightened feelings and might catch on.

Bonnie looked in the other direction for a moment or two. By the time she turned back around, Jacob was already on the other side of the field. She could still see him, but from a distance. As Bonnie walked closer, the phasing began.

His muscles contracted and massive amounts of hair sprouted from his skin, sharp and strong as though they were little needles. Jacob didn't seem to be in pain and in seconds, he was completely transformed.

Had she had _not_ known what type of person that Jacob was, she would've been terrified. As large as he was in person, he was massive as a wolf with a reddish-brown color that was distinctively his. Bonnie tried to focus and push the barrier, tap into his thoughts.

She could not. It was useless. After over an hour of trying to break it, wolf Jacob walked into the woods and transformed back. He walked briskly towards her, the muscles in his legs and over his entire body articulating with every half step.

Bonnie found herself get distracted as she focused in on his black underwear. She wondered what she would see if they had been white. And maybe a little sheer? Quickly looking away, as though he could read her thoughts, Bonnie waited until he reached for his jeans to look at him again.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't do it."

"That's just for today. We can try again." Jacob offered cheerfully, not upset at all.

"We don't have much time." Bonnie continued.

"I know, which is why we better figure out how to bond you to me like you're one of the pack."

"Are you going to try and turn me into a werewolf because I don't think-"

"For us, it doesn't work that way. It's in your blood. So no, you won't become part of the pack, but there has to be a way for you to tap into it, to be able to communicate with all of us when the time's right." Jacob placed his arm around her shoulder, lightly. "Don't worry, we'll figure it out." He promised. And then he smiled brightly while Bonnie tried _not _to swoon.

* * *

Bonnie dropped Jacob off at the Gilbert house, completely forgetting that there was somewhere else that she had to be, but she was quickly reminded when she came face-to-face with Jeremy.

"Where have you been? The concert's already started." Jeremy questioned, obviously waiting up for her.

"I lost track of time. I'm so sorry." She apologized immediately. "Maybe we can still catch part of it if we hurry." Bonnie took his hand as Jacob walked past them silently, clinching his jaw. Not only did he not like how this kid was talking to her, but he hated how Bonnie just sat there and took it, like she deserved it. He tried to stay calm for her sake.

"You know this is your fault." Jeremy cornered Jacob who had now grown tall enough to where he towered over Jeremy. This didn't seem to curb his nerves at all. He knew that Jacob was a threat to what he had with Bonnie. There was just something … off about the two of them which made it hard for Jeremy to trust them together.

"Sure. Blame me, whatever but damn … back the hell off. She's sorry."

"No. I want you out of my house." He spat out angrily. "Now." Jeremy gave Jacob a shove. By now, Jacob had balled his hands into fists, trying to hold back but he was ready to phase and Bonnie could see it.

"Will you guys just calm down?" She pushed herself in between both of them, facing Jacob. "Go." She whispered as Jacob's anger grew. How could she pick Jeremy over Jacob when she clearly preferred the latter? But she'd known Jeremy for too long to trade him in for the next best thing.

"Let me get my stuff." He managed to say gruffly, feeling stupid for ever caring about her. She was just another Bella.

"You mean my stuff? I don't think so. Out." That kid Jeremy would _not _shut up.

"I can't control it." Jacob warned as Bonnie reached for him, hugging him and whispering words of encouragement, along with using her power, until he was calm. She felt the warmth of his body and her body reacted naturally by wanting to comfort him.

It didn't take an idiot to see that there was much more going on with them than just friendship, or at least it wasn't a typical friendship, rather deeper than that.

"He's going." Bonnie whispered, turning back to Jeremy who looked at her with accusing eyes.

"Are you two … together?"

"No. Let's go." Bonnie offered, defeated.

"I don't believe you…"

"I can't exactly prove it to you. You were with me when I met him. You see that we hang out but that you and I are something completely different." She reasoned, holding onto Jeremy's friendship more their "romance." After Elena had dropped her for the Salvatores, it would be too much to lose another friend.

"You know what Bonnie … I wish I could believe you but… you can leave too." He shook his head disgusted. Jacob tried not to smirk as Bonnie left with him. Shortly after, he could see fresh tears spill over her cheeks.

* * *

Jacob could see that Bonnie was visibly hurt. She had put on sunglasses, when it was clearly too dark to need them, but Jake could hear the small sobs coming from her.

Unable to pretend like nothing was going on, he simply asked, "What's wrong?"

"I'm losing everyone." Bonnie replied as Jacob paused just long enough for her to continue. "Elena ditched me, Jeremy wants nothing to do with me, and I haven't spoken to Caroline so long that I've almost forgotten her number. My friends are the most important thing to me and not to have anybody is … really hard."

"I know." Jacob answered. "What I meant to say is that I'm thousands of miles away from my family and friends so I know what it's like to feel alone."

"Do you think I'll ever get them back?" She asked, taking him down a road that looked slightly familiar.

"Someone like you? … of course. No one in their right mind would just throw you away."

"Thanks." She smiled. "Even if it is just a lie, I needed to hear that." Bonnie's sobs slowed down and the two rode in silence for a couple more streets until Bonnie pulled into a secluded area. "I couldn't exactly bring you home without it causing problems so… let's pray that Grams sees this my way and lets you stay here." Bonnie offered as Jacob followed her reluctantly.

This was the place where he followed the vampire smell to not too far back. It made him feel uneasy.

"Grams is very … skilled so don't be alarmed if she can read you within two seconds of meeting you." Bonnie trudged up the narrow pathway until they both reached the door. Grams opened it immediately.

"I saw you coming … and the guest." She opened the door quickly, touching Jacob for just one moment to get a reading, and then watching him as she closed the door.

"Grams, this is Jacob. He needs somewhere to stay for a while until … I can find somewhere else for him. He's not going to be any trouble." Bonnie promised as Grams and Jacob became acquainted. Bonnie decided that she was too tired to go home and explain her dilapidated look to her parents and their lawyer society.

"You're skating on thin ice baby." Grams explained once the two were in the back living room, where they'd been practicing magic for about an hour now.

"What do you mean Grams? Because he's a werewolf?"

"That's only part of it." She paused. "Have you told him how you feel?"

"Really Grams? I'm trying to help him. That's it."

"Maybe you can convince yourself of these lies, but I can see it all over you … all over both of you. Do you have any idea how much this guy cares about you? It's genuine … and you're just sitting in denial-"

"Grams, I _really _don't want to talk about this."

"You have to baby. His destiny and yours are linked, at least for now, and if you're not honest with each other you may lose the opportunity. And not even magic can reverse something like that." Bonnie got it. Grams meant death.

"So, one of us is going to die?"

"Everyone dies. Every day is one day closer to going back to your Maker. You know that."

"What can I do to save him?" Bonnie wondered, immediately. Grams lowered her eyes, obviously knowing more than she was willing to share.

"When you're around these … people Bonnie, death is imminent. Vampires, werewolves … their very nature is dangerous … all you can do it to get stronger. Everyday practice harder and harder. Tap your power into theirs and you may be able to change things."

"What does that mean? How do you do it?"

"I don't know honey. He wasn't around long enough for me to find out."

Bonnie didn't press the subject any farther, but she trusted Grams because she had been right about everything to this point.

"Then, I'll stay the night."

"On the _other _side of the house." Grams warned.

"Of course. We're just friends anyway. I'm going to go find him and show him his room." Bonnie gave her grandmother a warm hug before leaving the room to find Jacob. She was determined to find a way to break him, to cut through his emotions and make her feel what she wanted.

"I'm here." He called, noticing that Bonnie was looking for him.

"I'm no genius, but I'm guessing that if vampires have super-hearing, then so do you. You heard everything, didn't you?" Bonnie wondered as Jacob nodded sheepishly.

"It's not like I was trying to hear, but you both were so loud."

"Yes. Those whispers can be deafening." She played along, taking his hand and pulling him up. "I want to try something on you."

"Anything." Jacob breathed, half-kidding and half-flirting. Now that Jeremy was out of the picture, there was no need for him to hide all of his feelings from her, and like her Grams said, he genuinely cared for Bonnie.

"I want to try this again … to try and tap into your emotions." She explained, looking directly into his eyes with a new determination. Bonnie was going to figure this out, and tonight. There was no time to fail.

* * *

"Damon." Katherine purred as he paced with his usual glass of alcohol in hand. He was pissed. After all this time, over 150 years of being deeply in love with and pining after Katherine, they were back in the same situation. He was sharing her with his brother.

It hadn't taken him long to figure out that she wasn't Elena, especially when she had so eagerly gone to bed with him.

But even as a human, Katherine was utterly seductive. He tried to ignore her but it was a waste of time. They both knew that Damon would give in eventually.

"Why'd you make me wait so long?" She sat up on her knees, dressed only in one of his shirts. "Come here."

"I'm not playing this game with you … you going back between me and Stefan, it's just history repeating itself."

"You're not still talking about that Katherine girl, are you? That was a million years ago Damon. Get over it." She muttered back playfully. "If you don't want to do this anymore, I understand."

"You know I don't want that." He sighed. "I don't want to share."

"I looove sharing." She smiled coquettishly, as Damon pressed himself onto her passionately. He cursed himself for being so weak, but knew what had to be done next. "Don't make me choose…"

* * *

Bonnie had done it alright. She'd made Jacob feel the gamut of emotions last night, happiness, fear, sadness, anger, resentment … all just by using her powers. It felt liberating to be able to be that close with someone again, but Jacob was feeling pretty vulnerable.

He was sure that Bonnie was officially more powerful than he, meaning that he couldn't protect her.

It wasn't the machismo of knowing that a woman dominated him that was plaguing Jacob, but it was concerning that she would only let him get so close.

The more time they spent together, the closer she was to him, the better he felt but Bonnie was so closed off with showing anything but friendship. It bugged the hell out of them.

Even this morning when she had walked into the bathroom, rather walked _in _on him, the reaction was very controlled and calm. He wished more than anything that he could get into her brain and see what she was thinking.

The ride to school was comfortable, Bonnie looking happy still glowing from her success and Jacob watching her and wanting her more. Damn, was it his destiny to be pining after a girl that he couldn't have? Pathetic.

Jacob walked out of the car without saying anything. He was pissed at the situation.

"Wait for me!" Bonnie called, catching up so that they could walk in step. Jacob was quiet for a while, a little _too _quiet, which begged the question, "What's wrong?"

"I want something that I can't have."

"Which is?" She pried.

"You." Jacob continued walking as Bonnie trailed behind, for a moment.

"We're spending every minute together. You know more about me than almost anyone-"

"Except the things that really matter … and the things concerning me, like why are you doing this? Why are you so intent on helping me?"

"I don't know." Bonnie answered, giving him a half truth. "I know what you're saying without really saying it Jake. You want us to be together, but I don't know if I can do that."

"Just _try_. All you have to do is act on your feelings."

"And what if someone gets hurt?"

"It's worth it. Trust me." Jacob responded back.

"And why aren't you

* * *

taking your own advice?" Bonnie asked, challenging him.

"Because I don't think you'd forgive me."

"It wouldn't bother me." Bonnie answered, not able to stop her mouth this morning. What was going on? She needed to back away and retreat. Back away and retreat.

"Good." Jacob pulled her aside into one of the empty classrooms because he knew she wouldn't want everyone talking about them. He closed the gap between them and they got closer and closer. At that moment, Jacob tapped into her, pushing his emotions onto Bonnie which manifested itself into one sweet, beautiful kiss.

His heart was beating so rapidly that it hurt. His body had even cooled down. Jacob was frozen in this place, not wanting to ever release her lips.

Their lips moved in a rhythm that was slow and uncertain at first, but then sped up as their adrenaline rose. Bonnie was lost in him for a moment and felt just as uncontrollably into it as he was. Jacob had her, almost until …

Bonnie pulled away abruptly. "I have to go." She answered and in three unbelievably fast movements, she was out of the room and safe from ever having to feel any of that again. So alive … _too _alive.

Jacob didn't know what had happened, but he did feel a certain pull. A pull coming from a completely different direction. It was the pack. And they were calling to him.

* * *

(A/N: I think I have chapter 12 done and I'm halfway into 13 so I'm hoping that chapter 14 will be it. I've been holding on this for about a month-so sorry for the delay. If you want 13 posted faster, review, spread the word, and show some love. Am I the only one on the Bonnie-Jacob ship? -NL)

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	12. A Side to You that I Never Knew

**Chapter Twelve: A Side to You that I Never Knew **

* * *

"You are one incredibly difficult witch to find." Damon, in his normal, supermanly appeared in front of Bonnie as she was on her way from her 3rd period English class to the cafeteria for lunch.

"It's smart to confront me here with everyone around, but I will hurt you Damon." She threatened back firey.

"Sounds like fun. When and where?" Damon answered back, giving her a look that reeked of failed seduction.

"What do you want?" Bonnie asked with both hands on her hips.

"It's simple. I have knowledge that I want to share with you. Think of it as a … peace offering."

"Well…"

"I just have one thing to ask you first … Would you still do _anything_ to save Elena?"

"Save Elena? Of course. Is she alright?" Bonnie let her guard down quickly, growing worried.

"Sort of …" Damon smiled to himself. "But let's just say that she's not herself, but I'm willing to take you to her."

"I know she's at your house. That's no secret."

"That's not Elena." He pressed his cold finger over the top of Bonnie's lips, both of them staring into each other's eyes. Damon was amused and Bonnie was concerned, for her friend. "Your little dog friend knows where to find her, but you didn't hear it from me…"

"Wait, Damon. Elena's living with you, right?"

"Wrong. That's not Elena. It's _Katherine_."

* * *

"So, she's here and you didn't tell me." Bonnie lashed out at Jacob at lunch, slamming her tray onto the table after the Damon ambush. "You had me thinking that Elena was over having me as a friend when it was really someone else."

"Whoa. Wait … what's going on here?" Jacob wondered, still thinking about the fact that he'd finally done it. He kissed a girl that didn't try to pound the shit out of him afterwards.

"Damon told me something very interesting."

"Do you really think you should be saying this to me when we don't know who could be listening?" Jacob responded, taking Bonnie's hand and pulling her away from the main crowd. Jacob didn't let go as he tried to open up the pack bounds.

If he could just—

"It's not working." Bonnie sighed. "Just … take me to her. I need to know."

"Wait. I'll tell you, but you have to listen to me." Jacob placed his hands on either sides of her face. Bonnie tried to calm down and focus, but her mind was racing. She was sure that there was no way she'd be able to stop it until her eyes caught sight of Jacob's.

She was enthralled in him, frozen with her eyes locked into his. Memories of the earlier encounter, the too-real kiss flashed before her as Jacob pressed further—

"We need blood." Bonnie explained instinctively, staring at Jacob still as she took out her hand and pricked it open with the edge of a nail file she had in her pursue. It dripped as she did the same to his hand until the blood had mixed.

And that's when he heard it. A voice. Jacob's voice. _I know where Elena is and I can take you there._

"When?"

"Shh."

_When_, Bonnie thought as Jacob smiled at her.

_Now… I guess. _He responded back, studying Bonnie closely hoping that he hadn't lost her.

_Damn. _

_I know. _Jacob smiled.

_I didn't mean to think that … and by the way, can you not think so hard? It's making my head hurt. _

Jacob closed the bond before he could think too openly about Bonnie before he could admit that he was beyond just liking her.

* * *

Human or not Katherine had them. Instincts. While Mystic Falls had been loads of fun, something was up. She'd gotten Damon to make love to her again, and although she would've felt it more as a vampire, it was good enough in human form besides the visible bruising from when he'd gone too far.

Still, when he'd made that comment about sharing, Katherine knew something was wrong. Damon would figure it out, or Stefan would be told … and there were too many things about Elena that she didn't know. What Katherine did know was that she finally had a chance to life a complete file.

Even with death as the final destination, Katherine was kind of into that idea. Over five-hundred years of life had drudged on, at times, and knowing that it never ended could be a bore sometimes. But now, she had something to look forward to. She could start a family. She could be honest for once. Feel—

Apparently being human was more than just a physical thing, but Katherine was starting to have those humanly dreams and emotions again too. However, knowing Mystic Falls as well as she did, Katherine knew that staying too long was a death wish. It was just something about this place…

"Goodbye Stefan." She whispered to herself, hoping that they'd be able to reunite one day, but for real this time with him knowing it was her and not Elena.

* * *

The Cullens had won this battle, slaughtered most of the newbie army, which was something that Isabel had anticipated. She knew that Victoria's plan was a bust, but waited until Victoria was gone to initiate something new, something new that she'd thought of with the help of that little half-breed she'd found, Colette.

No one had ever thought that it would be possible, but with the right vampire it worked. And she knew exactly who had turned Colette and where to find him. They were going to Mystic Falls … the newbies and what was left of them.

Isabel sighed to herself, thinking about all of the dead bodies and the time they'd wasted. She only had tonight to find what would become the only army in the world to match up to the Vulturi. But there was one good thing that had come from this little stop in Forks, and that was the capture of one werewolf. That was half the puzzle …

A little werewolf blood and some help from Mr. Salvatore himself. Isabel was sure that she'd be able to persuade him.

* * *

"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you come to me?" Bonnie asked once she was finally reunited with Elena, who had been in Mystic Falls since Jacob's return.

"I couldn't even figure out what was happening to me. And I didn't want you to get hurt too."

"I thought that I'd lost my best friend. These past few months I've been so alone and before you ask me about Caroline—it's just not the same without you." Bonnie hugged her again. The first time she hadn't noticed, but this time she felt it. "So … you're a vampire now?"

"Yeah but it didn't happen how you think. I woke up one day and I was just in this body, on the other side of the country."

"We think someone switched Elena into Katherine's body." Jacob chimed in.

"Then it had to be magic. A witch. There's no other way." Bonnie answered slowly looking at Jacob with fear in her eyes. She had no idea who would want to do this.

"Why would someone want to do that to me?"

"Maybe they were protecting you. Maybe Katherine's the target." Jacob offered.

"I don't want to think about it." Bonnie shook her head and giving Elena another hug. "I just want to pretend like we're normal and we can figure out this supernatural stuff as we go."

"I'll give you two some time." Jacob reluctantly left the room, knowing that they needed time together but wanting to share Bonnie with anyone right now. Not since his feelings for her kept growing.

"I'll see you at Grams's." Bonnie turned to face Jacob who momentarily stole her focus away as the two of them stood staring at each other a little too long. It was breathtaking, so much so that Jacob was surprised that he was still standing through all of this.

"See you." Bonnie whispered again, looking down and tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Can I…" Jacob laced his fingers with hers slowly until they were out of Elena's view.

"I'll be back in a second Elena." Bonnie responded without looking back at her friend. He was doing it again, looking at her like that and she couldn't help but stare back.

_You can't keep doing that, those looks… _

_I can't help it. _

_Why'd you want me to come out here with you? _

"Because." Jacob grunted, bending down far enough until his lips were in line with hers. Bonnie could taste his lips before she could actually feel them. Was she just imagining this or could it really be this amazing?

Her mind started moving wildly until it was finally too much to take and Bonnie pulled away.

_He only wants one thing from you. _

"It's not like that. I don't want one thing, I want everything. I want to share everything with you."

"Don't say things like that to me. It's confusing. It makes it difficult." Bonnie responded robotically, thinking about what Grams said. One of them was going to die. "Just get back safely and if anything is wrong … let me know."

"I will." Jacob hugged her again, sending warmth through her body, stealing just one more quick kiss. He appeared calm, but inside he felt a range of emotions. He was pissed, definitely from being rejected by really hurt too.

Bonnie watched silently as Jacob ripped off his clothing and phased. She didn't start back towards Elena until she was sure he was gone, until she could think everything she wanted freely.

"So, have you told him yet?" Elena asked as soon as Bonnie was back in the house. Bonnie gave her a confused look and Elena added, "Have you told him that you love him?"

"Elena, it's not-"

"I've _never _seen that look out of you before Bonnie and I know what love looks like."

"You can't _love _someone after knowing them for a few months. We're not even together..."

"But you want to be. Trust me on this one, if you love someone you have to tell them. Life has a way of taking things away if you're ungrateful. Even for a moment." She sighed thinking about what she'd done to Stefan, how she ran off after they had finally showed each other the highest level of intimacy. And now, look where she was?

"I don't love him."

Jacob gave Elena and Bonnie a moment, even though he didn't want to. He wanted to talk to Bonnie and needed a few moments of Bonnie himself to figure out if she cared enough to take his feelings for her seriously. He shook his head in frustration, and that's when he felt it.

The call.

Jacob shifted into his werewolf form and got the whole story from Leah meaning … she was close. And it also meant someone from the Quilete community was hurt or trapped.

_They took him. _

_Who did? _He asked.

_Vampires … they've been collecting werewolves and they're moving in your direction Jake. _

* * *

"You are so predictable that it's boring." Colette called to a Katherine who had managed to leave unbenounced to two vampires, but the one half-breed in town was not fooled.

"Do I know you?"

"Katherine don't play dumb. You don't know how long I've waited to finally have the upper hand on you." Colette smiled to herself. So this was what it felt like to be the puppeteer.

Katherine was a lot of things, but stupid wasn't one of them. And her human instincts worked almost as well as her vampire ones.

"What's this about?" Katherine wondered, trying to figure out an escape route where she wouldn't end up dead. A human against a vampire? That was like the Hulk vs. a newborn. She didn't stand a chance. She might as well have been a newly blinded amputee.

"It's simple … you owe me and I'm collecting. I charge _very _high prices." Colette showed her fangs as Katherine's stupid human emotions started going crazy like a pack of hyenas. Fight or flight. _Fight … or … flight_?

Katherine braced herself, but wasn't going anywhere without a fight. Colette pounced as Katherine moved just in time. Amazing or … she just anticipated Colette's movements.

* * *

(A/N: Maybe I should let her kill Elena/Katherine? What do you think? -NL)


	13. You Better Run

Chapter Thirteen: You Better Run

* * *

**Part One**

Being able to anticipate her movements or not, Katherine was still very human, very slow, and the prey in all scenarios. It was only a matter of seconds before Colette had her.

She had plans for this Katherine and they all involved death and torture.

But fate worked for Katherine as it had for Elena. Her saving grace was in the form of a face that she immediately recognized. It was the face of her "late" sister. Katherine didn't quite understand how or when she had become a vampire, but by the look on Isabel's face, she remembered Katherine well.

"I'm glad you found her." Isabel spoke finally. "We must use her to lure _him_, but keep her safe and happy at all costs."

Katherine didn't object when they took her with them. She felt comfort knowing that Isabel was around, but there was still a self-preservation plan forming in her mind, of course.

* * *

The news wasn't great, but there weren't any leads. There was almost no trace of them.

The only thing that Jacob knew for sure was that Seth was gone, had been taken and they had to figure out a way to get him back.

"We have to do something now. Tonight." Leah looked at him, emotional and ready to burst.

"What's the plan?" Jacob looked at Sam for answers, but he just looked back at Jacob. "Exactly. There is none. If you guys can trust me on this … I can figure something out, come up with a plan, but we can't do this tonight. We have to be organized with this otherwise it's over."

Everyone nodded in agreement, although they all knew that it would be nearly impossible to sleep tonight, nearly impossible to think about anything else until the moment that they were executing 'the plan.' Jacob also knew that it was his responsibility to come up with something, and he knew that Bonnie would be the one to help him figure it all out.

* * *

Seeing Bonnie with Jacob today had really done something to Elena. She hadn't said much to Jacob about it, but she was really feeling how empty her vampire life was. She hated that she had to pretend to be Katherine, whom everyone hated by the way, and that Katherine had somehow been able to steal Stefan away.

So, where else would Elena be when she was on the brink of a deadly battle but at the Salvatore house?

This time, she would make Stefan sit down and get it. It was her and she loved him. She barely rang the doorbell before he was there. Reading his expressions, she didn't see any signs of anger or hate.

"Where have you been?" He wondered, trying to pull Elena in but something was holding her back. Of course … she needed an invitation and Katherine, being the only living person who actually lived in the house, wasn't going to be the one to let her in.

"Can you come out here with me? I-I don't want Damon to hear." She wondered, spitting out the first thing that came to mind.

Stefan followed, hugging Elena instinctively; unaware that she was really a vampire and that Katherine was the human. Elena let herself fall into his arms, fall back into what they used to be. She let herself fall back because she didn't know what was going to happen, or how they were going to get out of this. All that she hoped for was for everything to somehow work out where she was normal, nobody died, and in the end she was with Stefan.

* * *

"Little witch." Damon cat-called, catching Bonnie at one of her not-so-rare moments when she was heavily enthralled in her own thoughts, mostly about Jacob and what Elena had said about them being in love.

"What do you want now? More bad news?" Bonnie asked.

"You saw her didn't you?"

"Let's not … do this here." Bonnie looked around suspiciously, her mind switching over from worrying about Jacob to worrying about Elena. She was going to die from all of this stress, sitting back, waiting…

"So, what's the plan?" Damon wondered hoping to schmooze his way into getting some information. His charm was so thick that it was sickening, and it wasn't working.

"There is no plan." She shrugged.

"Lucky for you … I've been doing my research. There's a way that you, Bonnie, can save Elena." He started. It involved mixing some herbs, saying some words … things that Bonnie knew nothing about.

"And why should I trust you?" Was her response once he'd explained everything.

"We're on the same side for once and … I'd never do anything to harm Elena." He was sincere in saying this. Elena was safe as long as Damon was around. Bonnie, with not many choices, agreed to do it. She called Elena, no answer, to see if she knew anything that would change her mind.

No news meant it was getting bad.

She downed the pea green liquid, glad that Grams wasn't here, as it left an aftertaste of mud and something moldy. As long as it worked, it didn't matter.

* * *

Jacob didn't understand it. He'd done and said everything right, yet he hadn't seen Bonnie since he left her with Elena last night. He knew where Elena was, at the Salvatore house, and had stopped back at Bonnie's grandmother's place to get some rest and figure things out.

Only, he couldn't sleep or think about anything except her. His sleepless night plagued him as night transformed into morning and there was no more postponing it. Today, they had to take action. They had to bring Seth back and stop these vampires.

Just stop thinking about Bonnie.

He took a long, cold shower this morning, hearing Bonnie come in last night only to go directly to her room on the other side of the house.

So she wasn't even talking to him now, which was stupid. He really needed her now. The pack was counting on him for answers, but all he had was … nothing.

Jacob had spent the last half hour in the bathroom, losing valuable time, but not really doing much of anything. He'd just finished showering … maybe? Jacob was so lost in his thoughts that he was working on auto pilot, almost a zombie.

Meanwhile, Bonnie was focusing all her energies on this spell, and trying to reverse it without Elena dying in the process. No one knew about this except Damon. That's how Bonnie preferred to keep it. No collateral damage. Just a spell. And the green stuff he gave her actually worked pretty well. It opened up her senses and she could see them both clearly now, Elena and Katherine.

She knew where they were. But we was feeling tired, or weak … maybe she just wasn't strong enough to do this on her own.

Bonnie stopped just for a moment to go to the bathroom, to splash some water on her face, and get it together. Lives were at stake and she couldn't mess this up.

"Bonnie."

"Oh. I'm so sorry." She answered automatically, but neither of them had moved. Jacob showed no signs of modesty and Bonnie seemed more interested than she'd ever been before.

"Don't be." Jacob finally responded after they'd been staring at each other for what seemed like a few minutes. It was just seconds.

"I'm mortified." She whispered, unable to scratch the image of Jacob's perfectly sculptured body from her memory.

"I'm the one that should be embarrassed." He retorted, able to grin under these circumstances. "At least now you know what you're getting yourself into."

Bonnie cleared her throat, looking away, as much as possible, as she tried to wrap a bath towel around him without staring … there. "I think I'm going to start staying at my parents' house again." Now, she was nearly opening the door and fidgeting like crazy.

"Why are you running away from me Bonnie? Did I do something wrong?"

"No. Maybe? I don't know but you're acting like we're … together or something-"

"Damn. I guess I read the signs wrong then." By now, the towel was wrapped securely around him. Great.

"No, you didn't. I just … Whatever is happening between us, it's too much for me. I don't _deserve _to have you look at me like that."

"Everyone deserves it."

"Not me. I've seen it happen to Elena and Caroline. God, Caroline's been in love a million times over, but never me."

"Who said anything about love?"

"I guess I did." Bonnie whispered slowly, knowing that she was caught. She'd been trying so hard not to feel this, not to let it show…

"I want to be with you. The connection that we have is unbelievable. I never thought that two people could be so in sync like you and I are. You know it's true Bonnie, which is why you try to fight it."

By now, tears were streaming down her face. She was thinking about what Grams said. If she didn't get too close… but it was too late for that now. Jacob was being completely honest with her and she could feel it in every molecule around her. The feeling was strong, much stronger than hers.

_Werewolves are emotional, in case you didn't notice. _

_Are you going to phase? Are you mad? _

_No. I just want to be with you and I want you to trust me. _

"Me too." Bonnie whispered, holding onto him again and looking up for a moment for Jacob to kiss her. It was much more than a kiss, it was sealing their fates.

Jacob paused for a moment to take everything in and that's when it happened. He could see a future with the two of them together, this insatiable inkling that they would always be linked, that they would always be … one.

The imprint was so strong that it brought Jacob to his knees and Bonnie was right there with him. _There_… he was breathing heavily like he'd been running for miles in human form. Bonnie was studying his face inquisitively, but all of her fears about them together were erased.

_What just happened? _

_You let yourself love me_.

"Be serious Jake?"

"When this is all over I'm going to stay here. I'll stay as long as you're here. You'll never have to be alone." He kissed her forehead before placing his hands on either sides of her face.

"Come back to me." Bonnie answered back, trembling at the thought of either of them dying. She was sure that if Jacob died, every part of her would die too. Jacob felt the same, deciding that the best plan was one that kept the most number of people safe.

He couldn't involve Bonnie in all of this and now, he knew exactly what to do.

* * *

If Bonnie was planning on using Damon in this thing, she needed to come up with a 'Plan B.' Colette had opportunely taken him the moment he'd separated himself from Bonnie, right after he'd given her the mixture that could just possibly changed everything.

"What do you want from me?" Damon wondered, talking just because he could. And he was hoping to buy time and distract them enough to execute and escape.

"Your blood." Colette looked at him seductively, knowing that after tonight Katherine would no longer be a threat. Once she killed her, which should be easy to do with her in human form, the spell would be permanent and there would be no doppelganger, meaning the Sun and the Moon curse could never be lifted.

"You could've asked." Damon answered back, full of charm.

"Please?" She was sitting on him now, close to kissing him but she split apart his skin with one quick motion, gathering enough blood to inject into their first test victim.

He was young, but strong, and his capture let to the capture of three more werewolves—one was the largest she'd ever seen which definitely meant he was an alpha, and the other was a woman … _strange_. The last was the one they'd picked up on the way here.

So, just to be on the safe side, they'd start with the little one first.

* * *

Bonnie could feel it, knew this was where Elena was and consequently, she had a feeling Jacob was there too, but he wasn't answering when she tried to mind-speak with him.

She tried not to think about it and let herself rest for a little bit until she felt this sharp feeling, sensation. Instantly, she knew that Jacob had been hurt, injured. Bonnie could feel it and she was powerless to stop herself from trying to save him. Bonnie would try it, even if it killed her in the process.

* * *

The pain was excruciating, but Seth couldn't do anything to stop it. He felt like he was dying. The vampire blood inside of him was freezing every part of his body, turning him into something that he could never recover from.

Death would be preferable.

Jacob couldn't stand by and watch while this happened, which is why he was the one with globs of blood spluttering out of his lower stomach. Caged next to Leah, they could only watch and offer Seth words of encouragement, but they knew that he was probably going to die, just like the two of them.

_Jake, hold on_. Bonnie's thoughts entered his mind suddenly as she felt the wound as though it had happened to her. It make her weak.

_Stay away Bonnie. It's dangerous. _

_You promised to come back to me. _She answered back, but then the connection between them was cut. She didn't know how or why they had been able to connect, but Bonnie was at the abandoned Lockwood Estate shortly.

Her only plan was to try a spell, one that would repel any danger by doing a protection circle, one that witches had been known for dying for.

* * *

(A/N: I've got a good grip on this one so 1 or 2 chapters more max. After marinating on _After the Hurricane_, I finally know how I'm going to end it, but I just need the time to write it out nice and pretty for you all. Please continue to read and review. In regards to _My Last Breath ... _I'm not giving up on it, but I'm not yet ready to post. Luv. -NL)


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